Aparna Banerji
Tribune News Service
Jalandhar, March 5
Over 650 Indian students remain stranded in bunkers in Sumy, north of Kharkiv, on the 10th day of Ukraine’s invasion by Russian forces. In some relief though, evacuation has begun in Pesochin, the western suburb of Kharkiv, to bring back over 1,000 persons stranded there to safety.
Left with no food, most students in Sumy are forced to melt snow. With key infrastructure ravaged and the nearest rail line broken, they have run out of transport options. Their problems have been compounded by steady bombardment, leaving parents of the students anxious.
Destruction all around, can’t leave
The train network is destroyed. Buses aren’t plying. There are regular blasts. Our children don’t have the option of leaving their bunker. —Dalwinder Singh, Fateher of a student
For two successive nights, two major blasts have rocked the precinct near the hostel bunker where 700 students from India are staying put. The blast last night left one of the Indian girl students unconscious. Dalwinder Singh, father of Kapurthala girl Muskan Thind, said: “The blast the night before took out the power and broke the water supply line. Power was restored later but there is no water or food. They have been surviving on biscuits and melted snow. The girls cook a small quantity of rice when hunger is unbearable. The train network is destroyed and buses aren’t plying. There are regular blasts and some girls are unwell. Unlike those stranded in other places, our children don’t have the option of leaving their bunker.”
He added: “Students have been making repeated calls to the Indian Embassy, but they are told to stay put. We urge the Centre to evacuate these students immediately.” Sukhwinder Singh, father of another student Gurleen Kaur, said: “They have no food or water. No one has ventured out due to bombing. Government help is yet to arrive. Hungry and thirsty, how long can our kids stay on like this?”
In Pesochin, two buses left with students on Thursday and the pace of evacuation was stepped up on Friday. Buses and taxis have hiked their fares for a ride to the western city of Ternopil, some 900 km away, from $200 a seat to $500. Many students who had run out of money said their consultant Karan Sandhu bailed them out. A majority of the students have been brought out through taxis or double-decker buses.
Since last afternoon, an estimated six buses left with students and the remaining will be brought out today. From Ternopil, the parents hoped, the students would be evacuated through the Romanian border.
Kuldeep Singh, father of Kapurthala student Ekamdeep Singh, said: “My son had set out from Pesochin in a taxi yesterday but I haven’t heard from him due to patchy network. They are still on the way. They may reach Ternopil at night.”
Jalandhar resident Tejinder Kaur’s daughter Jashmeen started out late last afternoon from Pesochin and is on way to Ternopil. “She had no money but her consultant helped her get out. A lot of people are heading in the direction, hence there are a lot of bottlenecks,” she said.
Families relieved
Abohar: Five buses with 250 Indian students, who had walked from Kharkiv to Pesochin have started moving out to border areas. As many as 48 will leave on Sunday. Parents of stranded students, while thanking consultant Karan Sandhu for helping out the students, have heaved a sigh of relief. Sandhu, who is with students, said the Indian Embassy had provided financial help to students, but other essential arrangements were not made. However, the movement of students brought relief to families. Raj Sadosh
UKRAINE CRISIS: 1K on move, 650 stranded nearby
{$excerpt:n}
