Archit Watts
Muktsar, February 27
A 24-year-old man from neighbouring Udekaran village here today returned from Ukraine. Gurkirat Singh is the first from the district to reach home safely. He is a fourth-year MBBS student at Uzhhorod National University in Zakarpattia Oblast, which is located close to the Hungary border.
Gurkirat’s father Alamjeet Singh said, “The situation is so far peaceful at Zakarpattia Oblast. The university had arranged four buses for stranded students, which crossed over to Hungary yesterday. The Government of India also acted timely and brought back the students from there by sending special flights. My son boarded the flight at about 2 am (IST) today. He sent us a message at 9.24 am that he reached Delhi safely. Now, he will reach the village late night.”
Eagerly waiting to return
Fortunately, there was no fighting in our area… I am thankful to the Government of India which acted timely, and brought me and many others back… there are many others stranded at the borders, waiting to return. —Gurkirat Singh, Returnee from Ukraine
Meanwhile, parents of other students, too, have intensified efforts for evacuation from Kharkiv and Kyiv, which are witnessing military action. They held a meeting here today, prepared a list of nearly 20 students from the district along with the details of their passports, present locations, etc., and sent it to the Ministry of External Affairs. They have requested the Centre to evacuate at the earliest. Worried over the present situation, a man whose daughter is stuck in Kyiv even broke into tears in the meeting, which melted the hearts of everyone present there.
Meanwhile, BJP leader Rajesh Pathela Gora spoke to a senior leader of the saffron party in Delhi and Congress leader Karan Kaur Brar too spoke to Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, seeking help for those stuck in Ukraine. Ranjeet Singh and Avtar Singh, two worried parents, said those who had taken shelter at the Metro stations are surviving on biscuits and water. Those stuck in their apartments, too, are running short on groceries and other eatables.
Muktsar lad back; 20 from dist yet to come
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