163 students from Karnataka still in Ukraine

A fourth-year medical student from the state at the Kharkiv National Medical University was killed on Tuesday last when he stepped out of his apartment for a supermarket

BENGALURU: The Karnataka government on Monday said 476 students from Karnataka have returned from Ukraine while at least 163 are still in the war-torn eastern European country.

Indian students stranded in Ukraine receiving assistance from Red Cross in Sumy on Sunday. (ANI)

“Sixty-five students returned [on Monday]. On 51 flights under Operation Ganga [for Indians returning from Ukraine] 476 students from the state have returned. ...There are some students who are in Mumbai... Another five to six flights are scheduled today [Monday]... According to our control room, ...163 students are yet to return from Ukraine,” said Karnataka State Disaster Management Authority commissioner Manoj Rajan, who is the officer in charge of coordinating with students in Ukraine.

Rajan said they were trying their best and some of the students have made it to Romania and Poland border.

Chief minister Basavaraj Bommai on Sunday said all efforts were being made to bring back the body of 21-year-old Naveen Shekarappa Gyanagoudar, a student from Karnataka who was killed in Ukraine’s Kharkiv.

“...information is being obtained about the mortuary where his body has been kept. Efforts are on to bring his mortal remains with assistance from the Indian Embassy,” Bommai said.

Gyanagoudar, a fourth-year medical student at the Kharkiv National Medical University, was killed on Tuesday last when he stepped out of his apartment for a supermarket.

Bommai said about 200 students from Karnataka were stranded in Kharkiv and were sheltered in bunkers. “The Indian Embassy is trying to bring them back. We are in touch with the external affairs minister in this regard. Prime Minister Modi himself is monitoring it. A huge operation to airlift the students is on. It is being made possible due to the cordial relations of Modi with various countries.”

Bommai said a suitable decision would be taken after consulting with the Centre to accommodate students returning from Ukraine.