With a few stranded students from war-torn Ukraine reaching the border countries, their parents back in Mangaluru are a bit relieved.
Pruthviraj from Bikarnakatte, a fourth-year medical student who was stranded in Ukraine, said that he is travelling to Budapest via train and “God only saved us”.
Speaking to DH, on his way to Budapest, he said, “The situation was very bad when we left on Tuesday. It was God who saved us. We narrowly escaped before they captured the nuclear power plant at Zaporizhzhia.”
He said the Indian Embassy has informed him that they will arrange a flight from Hungary to India. “But, I am not sure of the availability of the flights as more than 1,500 students are reaching Budapest from Zaporizhzhia State Medical University. Many who had reached Budapest two days ago are waiting at the airport.”
In fact, he along with other students had planned to travel to Slovakia. However, as the students could not cross the border, he decided to travel to Budapest.
“We request the government arrange more flights so that all stranded students at Budapest airport can reach home at the earliest,” said Pruthviraj.
Anaina Anna, a third-year MBBS student at V N Karazin Kharkiv National University, has reached Lviv and said that she is moving to Hungary.
MP Nalin Kumar who visited the family of Anaina said there is no need to worry about her passport. Arrangements will be made for her return as there are several students whose passports are with agents.
The MP also spoke to a stranded student from Mangaluru over the phone asking if he was facing any problem.
Clayton, a resident of Padil, has reached Slovakia. His mother Olin said that Clayton had made a video call to the family on Wednesday to inform the same.
“We are a bit relieved now. He is about 800 km away from Slovakia’s airport. The officials from the Embassy are supporting them,” she added.
Lauding the district administration’s support, she said, “When my son and his friends were searching for the Embassy office, I had informed the deputy commissioner about it. The DC, in turn, responded immediately. We are thankful to them.”
Lakshitha, another student, has also reached Slovakia and is staying in a camp.
Deputy Commissioner Dr Rajendra K V said that Naimisha has left the bunker and reached Kharkiv railway station, Heena Fathima is moving to Hungary, J Anusha Bhat has reached Romania, Pranav Kumar S has reached Poland and is accommodated in a shelter centre, Loyd Antony Pereira has reached Romania and is in a shelter centre, Sheikh Mohammed Thaha has left a bunker and is moving to the Kharkiv railway station, Anshitha Reshal Padmashali has reached Hungary and is accommodated in a hostel, Ahammed Saad Arshad has reached Slovakia, Preethi Poojary has reached Hungary, Pooja Mallappa Atiwal has reached Romania and Shalvin Preethi Aranha is moving towards Hungary, Dale Andriana Lewis, Mohammed Mishaal Arif and Pruthviraj have reached Hungary.