Three Assam students from Ukraine arrive in Delhi

Guwahati, Feb 28 (PTI) Three more students from Assam stranded in war-torn Ukraine arrived in New Delhi on Monday while four others have left for Budapest airport and will board an India-bound flight, an official release said.

A total of 13 of at least 124 estimated students from the state in Ukraine have so far arrived in India.

The three students arrived in New Delhi at 5:20 pm and they were received by Assam government officials at the airport.

The three students -Deepshikha Das, Prayash Sharma, and Avnish Phukan- were pursuing an education in medicine in the war-ravaged country.

They will be staying in Assam House in Delhi and their air travel to Guwahati will be arranged accordingly.

Four more students- Alibhia Rajmedhi, Bastobika Das, Farmi Nashrin Sultana, and Karina Borah – are expected to board an India-bound flight from Budapest airport on Monday night, according to the release.

All arrangements are being made to bring back the students to Assam by the state government in coordination with the Ministry of External Affairs, the release said.

On Sunday, ten students from the strife-torn country reached New Delhi and Mumbai on separate flights. Assam Bhawan officials received them and made necessary arrangements to send them home.

The Assam government was in constant touch with the Ministry of External Affairs to ensure the safe return of all people from the state, who are stuck in Ukraine.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had said teams of his government will ensure all assistance to these students.

The Ukrainian airspace has been closed for civil aircraft operations since February 24 morning when the Russian military attacked the country.

Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla had on Sunday said India has evacuated around 2,000 of its citizens from Ukraine and 1,000 of them have been brought back home on chartered flights from Hungary and Romania.