41 Gurugram students return from war-torn Ukraine, more on the way

The help desk set up by the Haryana government at the Mumbai airport received nine students from the state, who returned from Ukraine via Kuwait

An evacuation flight sent to Ukraine to rescue Indian nationals stuck in the war-torn country brought back 41 students from Gurugram, who landed at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) around 9am on Thursday.

Indian nationals, evacuated from war-torn Ukraine, aboard an IAF C-17 Globemaster plane in Bucharest. As part of Operation Ganga, the C-17 plane carrying 200 passengers, mostly students, returned to Hindon airbase early Thursday. (PTI)

Officials said a flight ferrying the second batch of students from the district is expected to land at the Hindon Air Force Station around 12am on Friday.

Officials said the Haryana government first called parents to Haryana Bhawan to receive their children but later asked them to come to the airport.

Devinder Singh, a resident of Sector 52 in Gurugram, said he was told his daughter would arrive at the Hindon Air Force Station late Thursday night and there was no clarity from where he have to pick her up. “We are waiting for information from the authorities,” he said.

The help desk set up by the Haryana government at the Mumbai airport received nine students from the state, who returned from Ukraine via Kuwait. The officers deputed at the help desk said they arranged for their air tickets from Mumbai to Delhi and also gave them ₹1,000 in cash each for refreshments.

Officials said Meeraj Ahmed of Gurugram and Vipul Sharma from Faridabad were the first to arrive in Mumbai from Ukraine. “More are expected to arrive early Friday,” said a senior officer deployed at the help desk.

Aaquib Naved (21), an MBBS student in Zakarpattya and a resident of Aklimpur in Ferozepur, landed at Delhi airport on Thursday morning. “The situation was getting so bad that we had left all hope of survival after we went without food and water for 22 hours. Coming back home is like getting another lifeline,” he said.

Riyaaz, another student from Nuh who returned on Thursday, said the Haryana government did its best in evacuating them and that they did not face any problem after crossing the Ukraine border. “Our food and other things were taken care of,” he said.

Deputy commissioner Nishant Kumar Yadav said they contacted family members of 32 students on Wednesday and officials met 59 family members of the students. “We want to assure parents that the government is working for the safe return of their children. We are regularly coordinating with family members and sharing updates as and when we are receiving them,” he said.

Administration officials also said they were keeping tabs on the evacuation process via the ministry of external affairs.

On Tuesday, Yadav formed teams to meet distressed family members and asked officials to share helpline numbers with them. “We received a list of 91 students from the Central government, following which we formed teams to ensure that family members do not panic. We are coordinating with the central government and sharing important information with the families,” he said.

Another flight ferrying students from Ukraine will arrive in Mumbai at 6am on Friday, said officials.