110 Indian students, including 90 Kashmiris, arrive at Delhi Airport at midnight
Ishtiyaq Kar
Srinagar, June 19 (KINS): A total of 110 Indian students, including 90 from Jammu and Kashmir, who were evacuated from Iran, arrived at Delhi Airport around midnight.
“You must be aware of the kind of atmosphere that prevails during war. We were quite tense due to the situation, although it wasn’t as bad in the area where we were staying. Most of the tension was in the capital. Before the situation could worsen, the Indian Embassy rescued us, and we are very grateful,” one of the students told KINS.
However, students expressed disappointment over the travel arrangements after reaching Delhi. They claimed that while students from other states were provided proper airport transportation and assistance, Kashmiri students were only given SRTC buses to travel to Jammu and Kashmir.
The students had been stranded in Iran due to the escalating conflict in the region, particularly following missile attacks by Israel on key Iranian cities.
After days of fear and uncertainty, relief finally came when the students were safely relocated across the Iran-Armenia border on Tuesday. They were received in Armenia’s capital, Yerevan, where Indian authorities made full arrangements for their accommodation in designated hotels.
Another student said the past few days were terrifying. “We were living in constant fear due to the missile strikes. Many students locked themselves in hostels and couldn’t even buy essentials. We are grateful to the Indian Embassy for all the help extended during this crisis,” he said. He added that while some students have been flown back to India, others remain in safer locations within Iran.
Currently, around 6,000 Indian students are enrolled in various universities across Iran, over 1,500 of whom are from Jammu and Kashmir. Their proximity to conflict zones and poor connectivity have made them especially vulnerable, causing deep anxiety among families back home.
According to officials, the evacuation of these 110 students is part of a broader effort to ensure the safety of all Indian nationals in Iran. “Hundreds more have been relocated to safer locations within the country. Discussions are ongoing to evacuate more students in the coming days, depending on the ground situation,” a Ministry of External Affairs official said.
The Indian Embassy in Tehran has been working closely with local authorities and the Armenian government to facilitate the students’ smooth transit. Officials also confirmed that they are continuously monitoring the situation and will coordinate further evacuations as needed. (KINS)
