Elation turns into fear after Indian students in Sumy told to get off buses

Indian students stranded in Sumy city of war-hit Ukraine had a glimmer of hope that they would be evacuated on Monday. They were told by officials from the Embassy of India in Ukraine on Sunday to pack their bags, as they could be evacuated any time. But sadly, though they boarded the five buses that had come for them on Monday, they were asked to deboard some time after.

A student said they learnt that the route was not safe and hence their evacuation was stalled.

Students sat in the buses for some hours before they were told to get off

"After receiving information that we will be taken to Poltava city in buses from Sumy, we were very happy. We packed our bags with limited stuff and kept the cooked food as well as other belongings as they were in the rooms. We were hopeful that we would be evacuated from the disturbed city of Sumy on Monday," one of the stranded Indian students, Mohammad Faisal, told mid-day.

"We waited for more than three hours in the buses but it seems there were some disturbances en route. So, we have been asked to wait. Our evacuation is still uncertain," added Faisal.

Mohammad Mehtab Raza, a student

The disappointed students, who had kept their extra luggage, belongings and cooked food scattered in the rooms, said they went back to them.

'Glad we were heard'

Some students are glad their constant appeals for evacuation from Sumy were heard by the government. "We were prepared for the evacuation, but received information from embassy officials that it was not safe to travel. So we came back to our hostels but are thankful to government of India. We now think that we will soon be rescued from the war zone," said another student, Mohammad Mehtab Raza.

He further added that all the students were elated to see the buses for their evacuation. "Though we are still stranded in Sumy, we are very positive and hopeful of our safety. Thank you, government of India," Raza said.

Students having a tough time

Hundreds of Indian students are stranded in Sumy since the Russian forces attacked Ukraine last month. It's been around two weeks and the students had shared their harrowing experiences of spending nights without electricity and with limited mobile network after Russian forces intensified their attacks last week.

Due to severe scarcity of drinking water, the students were left with no option than to quench their thirst by melting ice. They were also forced to live in unhygienic conditions and female students had to use pieces of bed sheets as sanitary pads.

Though there are stores near their hostels, the students are running short of cash as the ATMs have gone dry after the war began. All the banks are shut. Those left with little cash don't dare to step out as they are terrified of getting shot at or killed in the heavy bombings. Though Ukraine has deployed snipers atop hostel buildings for their safety, the missiles could still hit.

700
Approx. no. of Indian students stranded in Sumy