BHUBANESWAR: Ten students from the Central Agricultural University (CAU), Imphal, who were stuck inside their hostels of the institution in violence-hit Manipur, reached their home on Sunday. They shared their experiences after landing at the city airport in Bhubaneswar.
Sambit Kumar Parida, a PG student of CAU Imphal, said the violence was started on Thursday near his university. “We were hearing the sound of gunshots. As there was a major road near our hostel, we were watching movement of mob with weapons. After watching all these incidents, we got scared,” he said after reaching his home in Bhadrak district.
He said their university was heavily guarded. “It was not at all safe to go out. Food items and ration in our hostel were not sufficient. Expecting any untoward incident and shortage of food, we had requested the Odisha government for help through social media. The government helped us to return home,” he added.
Another student said they were watching mob burning houses. “After heavy deployment of military and paramilitary forces, the intensity of violence has come down,” said the student.
On the way to Imphal airport on Saturday night, some people had pelted stones at the vehicle they were travelling. “As most of the flights were running full, it was not easy to get a flight ticket. Our senior government officials helped to arrange flight tickets for the students,” said a government official involved with the rescue operation.
According to the instruction of chief minister Naveen Patnaik, the state government’s newly created Odisha Paribar directorate had brought the students to Kolkata early on Sunday morning. From there, the students including three girls were brought to Bhubaneswar at around 11.30am on Sunday.
"Odisha government safely brought back 10 Odia students of CAU Imphal by making special arrangements for their transport and accommodation during transit. Director of Odisha Paribar, Dilip Routray, received the Odia students at Biju Patnaik International Airport, Bhubaneswar," said a tweet from the chief minister’s office.
Students directly went to the chief minister’s residence and met Naveen there. They thanked him for the rescue and coordination. Chief minister enquired about their study after providing hockey jerseys and assured them that they will return to Imphal after the violence is stopped.
Routray said the state government was trying to bring 19 more students back to Odisha within a day or two. “While 15 students are from NIT Manipur, two each from the Central Agricultural University, Imphal and the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), Imphal. Process is underway to bring them back,” he added.
