Bihar students await evacuation from Ukraine

About 70 students from the state’s Katihar, Araria, Kishanganj, and Purnia districts are stranded in the war-torn region

PURNIA: Aysa Tabassum and Sahiba Parween, both in their 20s, left for Ukraine to study medicine on January 20. Just over a month later, they are stuck at the Ukraine-Hungry border waiting their turn to be evacuated from the war-torn region.

Indian students in Romania. (REUTERS)

Tabassum said they looked forward to becoming doctors to save lives in their native Purnia in Bihar but now their own lives are in danger. She said they were relieved to have at least reached the Hungry border away from continuous bombings. “Anyone can die anytime,” she said via text messages. “Our government is very serious, unlike other countries.” The two hoped they will be safely evacuated.

Neha Kumari, who is also from Purnia, has managed to reach Poland. Her brother, Shubham Kumar, said they do not know what is in store for her.

Nidhi Kumari, a third-year medical student at Kharkiv International Medical College, has left Ukraine for the Hungry border with 30 other students amid heavy shelling. Her father, Chandra Shekhar Jha, in Katihar said they have had sleepless nights. “It was not easy for us to send our daughter abroad to study but we did for the sake of her career.”

About 70 students from Bihar’s Katihar, Araria, Kishanganj, and Purnia are stranded in the region. Purnia’s district magistrate Rahul Kumar said out of 34 students of district 26 are still in Ukraine. “Eight have returned safely,” said Kumar.

Katihar district administration said 19 students were in Ukraine. At least 10 students of Araria and five of Kishanganj are still in Ukraine. “We want the family members to inform us about their children so that their evacuation may be carried out,” said an official in Araria.