975 Odia students stranded in Rajasthan’s Kota to head home soon

Of the 975 students coming back on Thursday, most are from Jharsuguda and Sundargarh districts.

Hours after the Centre allowed workers and students stranded in other states to return home, 975 students from Odisha taking coaching for medical and engineering entrance exams in Kota town of Rajasthan will head home on Thursday morning.

Officials said the students have made their own arrangements to travel by bus and the necessary route permits would be facilitated by the state government. (Image used for representation). (PTI PHOTO.)

Officials said the students have made their own arrangements to travel by bus and the necessary route permits would be facilitated by the state government. IPS officer Avinash Kumar, who is among the officers facilitating the return of students from Kota, said so far, 1,000 students from Odisha have registered with the local authorities at Kota.

Of the 975 students coming back on Thursday, most are from Jharsuguda and Sundargarh districts.

The state government has advised these students to strictly adhere to the lockdown and quarantine guidelines after arriving in their respective home districts. Over 2,500 Odia students have been stranded in Kota after the national lockdown was announced last month to contain the spread of the Covid-19 disease.

A few days ago, a large number of students from Odisha stranded at Kota had appealed to chief minister Naveen Patnaik to ensure their safe return to the state.

Congress legislature party leader Narasingha Mishra had also urged the chief minister to take immediate measures to bring back the students from Kota. Even BJP leader Bijoy Mahapatra had urged the government to bring back the stranded students in Kota, Bangalore and several other states.

“How long will they wait without food and with mental strain? Students need immediate attention of the government,” Mohapatra had said.