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Ukraine war: Families heave sigh of relief as evacuated students reach Punjab
Other families in Punjab are still having sleepless nights waiting for the arrival of their children who are either stuck in Ukraine or are awaiting rescue flights in Poland and other border nations
While families of those who have returned from the war-ravaged Ukraine are heaving a sigh of relief, there are many in Punjab who are still having sleepless nights waiting for the arrival of their children.
There were tears of joy and relief when parents of Jaspreet Singh Mann, 24, who belongs to Kotkapura town in Faridkot, received him at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi. A fourth-year medical student of Kharkiv National Medical University in Ukraine, Jaspreet was among Indian nationals evacuated via Poland on Friday.
Kharkiv, located in eastern Ukraine just about 50km from the Russian border, is where the Indian student Naveen Shekharappa Gyanagowda was killed in shelling while waiting in a line for food. Even he was a student of Kharkiv National Medical University.
“At the time we left Kharkiv, Russian forces were carrying out airstrikes throughout the day. The missile attack in which an Indian student was killed took place just a couple of blocks away from our hostel. After that, we decided to leave the city and walked 10 kilometres to reach the railway station, risking our lives. Everyone was very scared, as the streets were totally different from what we remembered them from just a week back. We managed to get on a train somehow. We covered the 24-hour journey to Lviv, located in western Ukraine, while standing in the train,” said Jaspreet, recalling the ordeal.
Things got better when he reached Lviv and then crossed the Poland border. “After waiting for 48 hours, we were put on a rescue flight. I am happy to reach back home safely and pray all students reach their homes safely too,” he said.
Jaspreet’s father, Gurjant Singh, said: “Our son has seen some tough times. We were in touch with him over the phone and I am proud of him that he sailed through. I am thankful to God for his safe return.”
Similar scenes were seen at Abohar in Fazilka district, as Harjinder Singh, 24, also a medical student in Kharkiv, returned home on Friday, much to his family’s relief. As his parents, Gurcharan Singh and Charanjeet Kaur, offered him sweets, the whole neighbourhood gathered outside their house to welcome him.
Harjinder, who travelled home by road after landing in New Delhi on a rescue flight, thanked the God and Indian government for his safe return, but was concerned about students still stuck in Ukraine.
“Many of my friends are still stuck there and need urgent evacuation. They are struggling to even get food and other basic things,” he said.
Among such students is Abhishek Sharma, 22, who belongs to Kotkapura in Faridkot and had gone to Ukraine to pursue MBBS just a month ago. Though he managed to flee Kharkiv — after the Indian embassy issued an urgent advisory on Wednesday — and reach Lviv, he is now waiting to cross over into Poland.
“We reached the railway station in Kharkiv after the advisory on Wednesday, but were not allowed to board a train. Then we moved to a centre at Pisochyn, 16 kilometres from Kharkiv, and boarded a train to Lviv on Thursday, amid increase in bombardment. It was really scary,” he said over phone.
Abhishek’s father, Jaswinder Kumar, said: “My son is contacting me continuously for updates, but I feel helpless. Hopefully, he’ll cross the border soon and return home safely.”
Khushwinder Kaur, 23, who belongs to Faridkot, has managed to cross the Poland border but is now waiting to be flown back to India for the past 48 hours.
“Students are taking the hard and dangerous journey to the borders on their own, and no help is being provided by the embassy. In Poland, around 600 of us are now taking shelter in the hall of a hotel, and the embassy is providing us food. However, there is no clarity on our return flight,” she said.
