New Delhi: Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma handed over a list of 36 students from his state, who are presently stranded in Ukraine, to Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla and appealed for their immediate evacuation.
"Communicated list of students from Meghalaya stuck in Ukraine to India's Foreign Secretary. He assured all help," said Sangma in a message.
The list submitted by Sangma includes 23 female students who are studying in different universities in strife-torn Ukraine.
However, one student, 22 years old Ishika Debnath from Laitumkhrah in Shillong who was studying at the Bukovinian State Medical University, returned to India on Sunday.
Stranded students in the list in possession of ETV Bharat said that although the situation in Ukraine is very critical, "many of the students from Meghalaya preferred to stay in their hostel till they were evacuated by the Indian government."
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In a communication with the State government, a few students who are studying in universities situated in different cities across Ukraine said that the situation is critical and they are safe in the university along with other Indian students.
"Situation is critical...safe in the university along with other 1500 Indian students. It's a 12-hour journey to the border," said a senior official from the CMO office in Meghalaya to ETV Bharat, while quoting communication received from one of the stranded students, Daniella Adelene Kharumnuid.
A student of Zaporizhzhia state medical university from Zaporizhzhia city in Ukraine, Kharumnuid has been waiting at her hostel number 4 at Stalevariv Street in Ukraine along with other Indian students.
A few students from Meghalaya also communicated to the state government that they are safe in the university hostel and they will be travelling to the Hungary border by Tuesday as per the list received from the Embassy.
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"Safe in University hostel and will be travelling to Hungary border by tomorrow," said 24-years-old Balarikordor Kharsati, a student of Uzhhorod National University in Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla said that 4,000 Indians had left Ukraine before the conflict pursuant to the several advisories issued by the foreign ministry.
"We estimated at that time that about 15,000 of our citizens were left in Ukraine when Op Ganga commended. Since the airspace in Ukraine was closed after the conflict commenced, we identified land evacuation options through four neighbouring countries, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia," said Shringla.
