39 people, mostly students, return from war-hit Ukraine

 Hyderabad, Feb 27 (PTI): So far, 39 people from Telangana, most of them students stranded in Ukraine, have returned to India, officials here said on Sunday.

“The 39 residents of Telangana travelling (with other Indian citizens) from countries neighbouring Ukraine have landed in Mumbai and Delhi on February 26-27,” said an official press release.

Telangana government made arrangements to receive the returnees at Delhi and Mumbai airports and also booked air tickets to carry them to Hyderabad, said the release.

The first batch of 14 students from Telangana arrived in Hyderabad today. They were brought from Mumbai where they had arrived on Saturday, the officials said. Similarly, 23 more residents boarded flights in Delhi and were expected to reach Hyderabad tonight, they said.

On the orders of Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao, arrangements were made to bring students back by extending all facilities, including free flight tickets, the release said.

The State government has set up helpline centres at Telangana Bhavan, New Delhi, and at the Secretariat here to pass on information to the parents about their children.

The government shall continue to liaise with the Centre over flying students back from the foreign nation, said the release.

The students thanked Rao for the efforts taken by the government and the Indian Embassy in Ukraine.

“We started on Friday afternoon (from Ukraine) and reached Romania after crossing the border by bus. From there, we flew to Mumbai,” a student, who reached Hyderabad, told TV channels.

Some were still in hostels and some others were in bunkers, she said.

“Some of our friends are still stranded there (in Ukraine)”, another student said.