‘Heckled; walked miles with Indian flag to cross Ukraine’: Odisha college students narrate ordeal

By PTI

BHUBANESWAR: Odia college students returning residence from war-torn Ukraine on Friday narrated their ordeal of getting to stroll miles in sub-zero temperatures waiving the Indian Tricolour and being heckled by Ukrainian troopers earlier than crossing the border to security.

The Odisha authorities stated that 65 college students from the state have been rescued from war-ravaged Kharkiv through the day, and efforts are underway to evacuate all Odia college students from Ukraine throughout the subsequent 24 hours.

It stated no less than 199 Odia college students have returned to the state from the jap European nation up to now.

Aritri Angelina Behera, a medical scholar from Cuttack who was among the many 11 college students who returned to Odisha from Ukraine through the day, thanked each the Centre and the state authorities for making preparations for his or her evacuation.

“Once we crossed Ukraine, representatives of the Indian Embassy and the Odisha government made all arrangements for our safe return. But the real challenge was crossing the country.”

“We lived in a bunker since February 24 and exited it only three days later. Every second was challenging while crossing Ukraine. However, we held the Indian Tricolour high and walked miles to reach the border,” she stated.

Eureka Choudhury, one other scholar who returned to Odisha, alleged that Indians confronted discrimination in Ukraine.

“The Ukrainian soldiers were cordial to Nigerians and others but were harsh on Indians. I was heckled by them before crossing the international border to enter Romania. We walked 12 km in minus six degrees Celsius, which was really painful,” she stated.

Asish Bisi and Dinesh Sahu, who returned from Kharkiv, stated that extra college students are nonetheless trapped in Ukraine, and so they have to be evacuated instantly because the state of affairs was worsening by the day.

The Odisha authorities, which has nominated particular representatives to coordinate the secure evacuation of individuals from the state, organized particular buses for the transportation of 65 college students from Kharkiv to Ukraine’s worldwide borders, from the place they’d return to India.

The administration stated that a number of individuals from Odisha have crossed over to Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia from the place they have been being evacuated by the Ministry of External Affairs on particular flights.

The state authorities has deputed Vikramaditya, vice-president of KIIT and KISS universities, to take care of general coordination for evacuation of scholars from Poland, whereas Arushi Ray of UNHCR has been assigned to coordinate the secure passage of scholars who’ve reached Hungary.

Similarly, Baishali Mohanty, a UN coverage officer in Rome, will take care of the evacuation from Romania and Anurag Pattnaik, who is predicated in Hungary, will coordinate in Slovakia.