The first batch of students from Karnataka who were stuck in the war-hit Ukraine arrived in Bengaluru on February 27 morning.
They told KSDMA officials that they were evacuated through Romania. “All the documentation was done in the buses we were travelling in,” they said.
According to KSDMA Commissioner Manoj Rajan, 12 students who had reached Mumbai reached Bengaluru at 8:45 am at the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA). “Thirteen students have reached New Delhi in the second batch and are now in Karnataka Bhavan. Five students just arrived and will be taken to the Bhavan. All 18 will be booked on flights today,” Mr. Rajan told The Hindu.
Overall, 397 people from Karnataka are said to be stranded in Ukraine, according to the latest figures shared by the KSDMA. "Around 30 students hailing from Karnataka have been safely evacuated," the authority said.
"The local tickets from Delhi and Mumbai to Bengaluru will be borne by State Government. Further, the Nodal Officer and his team are in constant touch with the MEA to evacuate remaining stranded students in Ukraine," a release said.
Meanwhile, students from India still stranded in various parts of Ukraine continued to appeal to the Indian government to rescue them. One student, Arshsalan Azeem, who is stuck in Lviv, told The Hindu late on February 26 night, “We just heard sirens in our city. Everyone is saying that there can be attacks here tonight. We are so tired and scared.” He shared a video of students holed up in the hostel and said they may soon run out of water. Though many of them took a bus close to the border and walked 20 km, they were turned back, he said, adding that they had to walk back the same distance. “There are no taxis either. Only private vehicles are being allowed. We don’t know what to do,” said the medical student.
The State Government has opened a facilitation center at IGI Airport, New Delhi, to coordinate and support stranded students arriving at the airport hailing from Karnataka. Students hailing from Karnataka arriving at IGI Airport have been asked to contact the officers for guidance and support.
The details of officers from Resident Commissioner’s Office, Karnataka Bhavan, New Delhi, manning Facilitation Center at IGI Airport are as follows:
1. Anantha, Manager (9205593129), O/o, Resident Commissioner, Karnataka Bhavan, New Delhi.
2. Venkatesh, Manager (9818464249), O/o, Resident Commissioner, Karnataka Bhavan, New Delhi
3. Jagadish, Manager (9205593126), O/o, Resident Commissioner, Karnataka Bhavan, New Delhi
