Mubashir Bukhari
Srinagar (NVI): Hundreds of Indian students in Ukraine are feeling unsafe there in view of the coronavirus pandemic and want to return home.
Ukraine has enforced a lockdown till April 24 and suspended all international commercial passenger services to and from the country till that date, according to the advisory of the Indian Embassy in Ukraine.
According to an estimate, there are over 10,000 Indian students, including 200 from Kashmir, in different parts of Ukraine and they are living in constant fear of getting infected by the virus there because of the conditions they are in.
A student from Kashmir, who is among 500 Indians studying in Sumi State University of Ukraine, told NVI that they are facing shortage of masks, sanitizers and other protective gears.
The Indian students are living in congested hostels and chances of getting affected is more, said Mohammad Aasif Tariq, who is studying medicine at Sumi State University.
He said more than 200 have tested positive there and one among them has died. “We fear for our lives, we want to return home,” Tariq said.
“We don’t have proper medical facilities here. We are living in constant fear. We request the Government of India to either evacuate us from here or ask the local government to provide the necessary facilities,” the student said.
On March 17, the Indian government suspended entry of passengers from COVID-19-affected countries as a precautionary measure to prevent the spread of the virus.
The Embassy of India in Ukraine said it is in touch with the Indian authorities and the government to procure emergency medical resources to combat the pandemic in Ukraine.
In an advisory, it has asked all Indian citizens to avoid any unnecessary travel and observe social distancing.
“It is also requested to follow the advisories issued by the local authorities in Ukraine, World Health Organization, and Government of India from time to time,” it said.
The students said that till the travel ban is lifted, the University authorities should take care of them and provide them the necessary medical help.
“We tried to contact the Embassy, but it’s shut from last few days and we didn’t get any response from them,” a student said.
