All Indian students stuck in Sumy evacuated, says Govt
Darpan News Desk IANS, 08 Mar, 2022 03:22 PM
New Delhi, March 8 (IANS) All Indian students who were stuck in Sumy area of war-torn Ukraine have been successfully airlifted through Operation Ganga, the government said on Monday.
Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said that they had apprehensions but their mission to evacuate Indian students was successful.
"Happy to inform that we have been able to move out all Indian students from Sumy," he tweeted.
The Indian students were first taken to Poltava, from where they boarded trains to western Ukraine, and were finally airlifted.
Union Law and Justice Minister Kiren Rijiju also said all the students from Sumy were taken out.
"It was very worrying but finally all Indian students from Sumy have been taken out. The intervention from the highest level & effective coordination of the team at the ground have saved our young students," he said in a tweet.
While directing officials to ensure safe return of the remaining students and other persons stuck in Ukraine, he said the state government is sparing no effort to help the distressed families in this hour of crisis.
Over 700 Indian students are stuck in Sumy and they are running out of basic necessities like food and water and they have been urging the Indian government to get them evacuated from there.
Over 7,400 Indian nationals are expected to be evacuated under the 'Operation Ganga' in the next two days, the government said on Thursday. The Centre has initiated an airlift operation to evacuate Indians, who have found their way to the neighbouring countries of war-torn Ukraine.
This advisory, prepared by the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses, warns about aerial raids, missile attacks, artillery shelling, small arms and gunfire, grenade explosions and 'Molotov cocktails', including by local people/militia.
The flight IX-1202 with 183 passengers, including an infant, arrived at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport at around 5.40 a.m. The evacuees were received by Union Minister of State for Railways Raosaheb Danve-Patil with flowers and words of solace as they trooped out lugging their belongings.
"Indian students are being pushed out of trains, they are not allowed to board, if questioned they are being assaulted and guns are being pointed at them,". There are many incidents where Indians were asked to leave bunkers. Ukraninans are telling Indian students that India is not supporting them and why should they help them?