After MEA advisory, Indians in Sumy say confused' whether to leave for border; supplies running out
New Delhi, Mar 5: Several Indian students stranded in Sumy who decided to walk to the Russian border amid intense fighting in the region are now "confused" whether to continue their journey after the Ministry of External Affairs urged them to avoid taking unnecessary risks.
As evacuation from the shelling-battered city remains a challenge for Indian authorities, the students said they could no longer cope with the nail-biting cold, depleting food supplies and having to melt snow to get drinking water.
Around 700 Indian students are still stuck in the war-hit region, their evacuation hampered by the continuous fighting in the area.
The students said they have run out of food and water.
The students have released several desperate videos on social media, saying they have decided to undertake the potentially fatal journey to the Russian border, some 50km from where they are, sending shockwaves in New Delhi.
They said they hope they would be picked up by Indian authorities from the Russians border.
"We are afraid. We have awaited a lot and we cannot wait anymore. We are risking our life. We are moving towards the border. If anything happens to us, all the responsibility will be on the government and Indian embassy," a student, surrounded by a large number of his peers holding Indian flags, says in one of the videos.
In another video, students are seen filling up buckets with ice as they ran out of drinking water.
This prompted the Indian Ministry of External Affairs to urge them to stay inside shelters and avoid taking unnecessary risks.
"We are deeply concerned about Indian students in Sumy, Ukraine. Have strongly pressed Russian and Ukrainian governments through multiple channels for an immediate ceasefire to create a safe corridor for our students," MEA Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said.
After the statement, the group of students have halted their journey for now.
"We had already started moving after we gave up hope on the government coming to our rescue. But now with the new advisory, we are confused whether we should take the risk at all. I am so so scared," said Md Nizamuddin Aman (21), a first-year MBBS student at Sumy State University.
Russia and Ukraine agreed on Thursday to the need for creating humanitarian corridors to help civilians escape the war. Moscow calls its actions in Ukraine a "special military operation."
The war in Ukraine has entered its 10th day with evacuation from war-hit cities remaining difficult. Students stranded in these areas are posting videos on social media, pleading with the Indian government to evacuate them.
To evacuate citizens from war-hit Ukraine, the Indian government has launched Operation Ganga. However, the evacuation from the eastern part of the country has been a cause of concern as heavy violence in underway.
India has been evacuating its citizens through special flights from Ukraine's western neighbours such as Romania, Hungary and Poland as the Ukrainian airspace has been shut since February 24 due to the Russian military offensive.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs, nearly 17,000 Indian nationals have left Ukraine's borders since advisories were issued over a fortnight back.
Russia on Wednesday said it is working "intensely" to create a "humanitarian corridor" for safe passage to Russian territory of Indian nationals stuck in Kharkiv, Sumy and other conflict zones in Ukraine following a request from New Delhi.
An estimated 20,000 Indian nationals, mainly medical students, reside in Ukraine.
Have advised our students to take safety precautions, stay inside shelters and avoid unnecessary risks.
— Arindam Bagchi (@MEAIndia) March 5, 2022
Ministry and our Embassies are in regular touch with the students.
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Bengal: On way to PM's rally, 3 mowed down by train amid dense fog
Kolkata (PTI): Three persons died and three others were injured after being hit by a train amid dense fog on Saturday, while travelling to attend Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rally at Taherpur in West Bengal's Nadia district, a senior official said.
The incident occurred between Taherpur and Badkulla railway stations under the Sealdah-Krishnanagar section of Eastern Railway, he said.
Modi, whose helicopter could not land at Taherpur due to dense fog and low visibility, condoled the death of the “BJP workers” in his virtual address from Kolkata airport.
“I have come to know that some BJP workers, while travelling to the rally, lost their lives in a rail accident. My condolences are with the families of those who have lost their loved ones, and I pray for the speedy recovery of the injured,” Modi said.
The Eastern Railway official told PTI that the incident occurred in the morning when these people, who were travelling by a bus, had stopped the vehicle and walked to the railway tracks to answer nature's call.
"While three persons died on the spot, two others with injuries were admitted to a local hospital," he said.
Another person with minor injuries was released after having been administered first aid, the official said.
The deceased have been identified as Ramprasad Ghosh (74), Shaktipada Sutradhar (55) and Gopinath Das (38).
Meanwhile, Mahua Moitra, Trinamool Congress MP from Krishnanagar constituency in Nadia district, alleged that the BJP ignored the incident and went ahead with the rally.
"Terrible tragedy hushed up at altar of @narendramodi ego. @BJP4India supporters brought from far Murshidabad for PM rally in Ranaghat today," she said in a post on X.
"4 went to answer nature's call and were killed by 31814 down local train near Taherpur. BJP ignored, blacked out & went ahead with rally," Moitra claimed.
Reacting to her remarks, the West Bengal BJP, in a post on X, asserted that the TMC "has always been adept at milking tragedies", and was being "disrespectful to the unfortunate victims of this tragedy".
The TMC alleged that BJP leaders have not shown "neither concern nor compassion" over the mishap.
"The loss of three lives in Taherpur should have united everyone in grief. But @BJP4India leaders showed neither concern nor compassion," it said in another post on X.
"At this painful moment, Smt @MamataOfficial and Shri @abhishekaitc put humanity above party lines and stood beside the families of the deceased," the party said.
TMC’s on-ground leaders promptly reached out to the grieving family members, ensuring them of help and assistance, it said.
"While Delhi’s rulers chase Bengal with arrogance, our leadership chose empathy. This is the difference between politics of power and politics of people!" the TMC added.
