As seven students stranded in Ukraine arrived in Bengaluru on Monday, parents of hundreds of students were still doing everything possible to ensure the safe return of their children to the war-torn country.
As seven students stranded in Ukraine arrived in Bengaluru on Monday, parents of hundreds of students were still doing everything possible to ensure the safe return of their children to the war-torn country.
As seven students stranded in Ukraine arrived in Bengaluru on Monday, parents of hundreds of students were still doing everything possible to ensure the safe return of their children to the war-torn country.
Divyashree Nagaraj, mother of 19-year-old Suhani Girish, a student of Danilo Halitsky Lviv National Medical University, said her daughter is among a group of more than 80 Indian students, aged 19 to 23, who are stranded in hostels in Lviv. , Despite several attempts to cross the border over the past few days, they were unsuccessful.
“Getting to the border means a dangerous bus ride and a 25-km walk in the freezing cold. While many students have returned to hostels, there are hundreds who are still exposed to the severe cold in the border areas,” she said.
On 25 February, Ms Divyashree said that many students traveled by bus to the Rava-Russia border post and covered more than 8 km to get to the border area, only to return because of the walk-in entrance. was not allowed.
They then walked 25 km to the Shehni-Medyaka border post and waited there for almost 10 hours without food or water, nor any shelter or restrooms. “When the Ukrainian border guards did not allow the students to cross, even threatening to confiscate and destroy their Indian passports, many returned to the hostels,” he said, adding that After returning to the dorms, students are hearing sirens.
He said that although Indian nationals are being welcomed in Poland, the people of Ukraine are not allowing them to cross.
Meanwhile, efforts are being made by members of the Indian community in Germany to take Indian students from Ukraine who have entered Poland to Germany.
Safe Sultan, who is currently in Mangaluru, is coordinating these efforts. He said that his extended family in Germany along with the Indian community had arranged for accommodation and food for 100 students besides transport from Poland to Germany. So far 23 students have been safely evacuated to Germany.
“Indian embassies in Poland, Hungary and Russia are scattered and there is a shortage of staff. They are still not able to meet the needs of thousands of Indian students stranded in Ukraine, especially in Kharkhiv and Kyiv,” he said.
Many students, who are still waiting to be evacuated from the border areas, are not having food and some have even complained of being looted.
Mr Sultan said that along with a few others, they have been able to collect the details of 237 students, including passport numbers of Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Kasaragod.
“We are getting desperate calls from parents who want their children back home safely and from distressed students who are stuck in the cold without food or water,” he said.
Chinnappa Gowda’s daughter Keerthana is a student of UC and Uzhhorod National Medical University among the 45 students who returned. She returned on Monday, while 11 people from the Hassan district are still waiting to be deported from Ukraine.
“Many students are still stranded there. I am fortunate that I got a chance to return early,” she said, and thanked the Indian Embassy officials for their help.
Three more students – Himan Raj, Arpita and Dhanuja – are expected to reach India soon. He traveled by road for about 15 hours to reach Hungary, from where he would get a flight to India. Students are constantly in touch with their parents and they are sending videos of their respective places.
Former Prime Minister and Rajya Sabha member HD Deve Gowda met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has sought help for the early return of students from Hassan stranded in Ukraine.
Mr. Deve Gowda also spoke to Gagan Gowda’s mother Sujatha, who is still stuck in Ukraine, and assured her that he would talk to the people concerned. Ms Sujata said her son had taken shelter in a bunker without proper food and basic necessities.
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