Archit Watts
Muktsar, March 4
Parents of some students stuck in Pesochin claimed today that private bus operators were demanding $500 (nearly Rs 38,000) from each person to reach Lviv town. Some students had yesterday reportedly boarded buses from Pesochin to Lviv by paying $200 (nearly Rs 15,000) each.
$200 a day before, now charging $500
They charged $500 per student, against $200 on Thursday. Students will have to further pay more to reach the border from Lviv. I urge authorities to take immediate steps to rescue our children. Ashok Chawla, a student’s father
Aneesh Chawla, a first-year MBBS student at Kharkiv National Medical University, is stuck at Pesochin. His father Ashok said: “After getting reports that a number of buses have been arranged to take stranded students to Russia through a safe corridor, I spoke to officials of the Ministry of External Affairs today. They denied the reports. Our kids are facing a harrowing time and running short on money. They have arranged the buses on their own there by paying $500 each to go to Lviv. The bus fare was $200 yesterday. Students will have to pay more to reach the border of any other country from Lviv. I appeal to authorities concerned to take immediate steps to rescue our children.”
Similarly, Ranjeet Singh, whose daughter Jasmeen is a fourth-year MBBS student at Kharkiv and stuck at Pesochin, said: “My daughter paid $500 to reach Lviv. The Government of India has not yet been able to reach them through our embassy officials sitting there in Kyiv. They are just doing lip service. Two buses carrying stranded students had left Pesochin yesterday, which are yet to reach Lviv. Three buses are expected to leave from Pesochin today. Almost every town in Ukraine is witnessing shelling and we are praying for the safety of everyone.”
Meanwhile, four students — Akshit Goyal, Rajveer Kaur and two siblings Shubhpreet Kaur and Amulpreet Singh today safely reached India. Akshit, Rajveer have come via Poland and Shubhpreet, Amulpreet via Hungary. “My daughter somehow managed to board a train from Kharkiv on Wednesday and crossed over to Poland yesterday. She got a flight for India yesterday and reached Delhi this morning. The University authorities there have however not returned her Class XII certificate,” said Gurtej Singh, father of Rajveer Kaur.
Permission sought to hold relief camp
Hailing from Khunde Halal village in Muktsar, Ravneet Brar, 39, who contested the Assembly polls, has sought nod from Romania to allow his NGO to hold a relief camp there. “We have sought permission from countries sharing their boundary with Ukraine. Poland has denied us permission. The reply from other countries is awaited,” said Brar.
6 back in Muktsar
Six of the total 21 students reportedly from Muktsar district have returned so far. Four of them reached safely on Friday. Three are still stuck in Pesochin, while 12 others are waiting for their flights from Ukraine’s neighbouring countries
Bus operators in Ukraine fleecing students: Parents
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