A tale of Navi Mumbai siblings who crossed Ukraine border

Siblings Jhanvi and Poojan Thaker

Two siblings from Navi Mumbai were studying in different cities of Ukraine when the Russian invasion started. For the entire week, their parents were worried as they lost contact with Jhanvi and Poojan Thaker. They learnt only on Wednesday that the two have safely crossed over to Romania and Poland, respectively, said the mother.

Their parents Nimesh Thaker and Vibha Thakar were relieved to hear both their children's voices after one week on Wednesday, but are now anxiously waiting for their safe return home. Vibha told mid-day that both called on Wednesday to inform them that they were out of war-struck Ukraine.

After Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, Jhanvi and her friends rushed at the Romanian border, but they were not allowed to cross over. They were stuck there for four-five days, said Vibha. Finally, on Wednesday, the Indian embassy began moving Jhanvi and other Indian students to the airport in Romania for extraction to India.

Poojan Thaker crossed over to Poland on Tuesday, said his mother

"My daughter Jhanvi left Ukraine and entered Romania where she was in shelter for the past four days. At the shelter, one student tested positive for COVID-19 and many others fell sick." Poojan also left his college and had reached the Poland border, but was allowed to enter the European nation on Tuesday.

"My son Poojan was trying to cross the Poland border, but he was stopped there. He was stuck there in the freezing temperature. On Wednesday, we found out that he is safe and has crossed the Poland border," Vibha said.

"On Wednesday, we got in touch with them for the first time since the war started. We are still worried, praying for our children to come home safely," she added. Jhanvi is in the last year of MBBS at Odessa medical college and Poojan is in the second year at a medical college in Lviv city of Ukraine.

Indian flags helped

Another student, Anjani Patel, who hails from Nadiad in Gujarat, is at a Romania airport. Her father Vijay Kumar told mid-day, "My daughter walked all the way to the Romania border and it took her four hours." He added that the several buses arranged by the Indian government were also sent to evacuate students, and the Indian flags on the vehicles "helped students move ahead easily, as the Ukrainian and Russian army allowed these buses to proceed".

Feb 24
Day invasion began and siblings lost contact with parents