Asianet NewsableAsianet Newsable

'Walked 24 kms...' Indian students retrace journey from Kharkiv to Poland safe camp

Speaking to Asianet News Resident Editor Prasant Reghuvamsam, students recall how they travelled from Kharkiv to Poland. They shared how they survived the attacks, their experience in staying bunkers.

First Published Mar 8, 2022, 1:42 PM IST | Last Updated Mar 8, 2022, 1:43 PM IST

Many Indian students are now reaching the Poland border and recalling their experience in Kharkiv. Speaking to Asianet News Resident Editor Prasant Reghuvamsam, two Indian students from Punjab and Bihar recalled how they travelled from Kharkiv to Poland. They shared how they survived the attacks and their experience in staying in bunkers.

"The experience in Kharkiv was horrible. From the last ten days, we went through a lot. We walked to Pesochin and felt safe. We were provided with food, accommodation and other basic necessities," said the student.

After the Embassy issued an advisory to move to different places near Kharkiv, another student said, "We walked approximately 24 km, and stayed a night at the location given by the embassy contact. There, another agent helped us with the bus travel, which helped us reach here."

Recalling their experience, the two students revealed that they had been bunkers for a few days, and while they travelled on foot, they saw rockets going past them and hitting a location.  They thanked all their seniors and especially Indian Embassy, who helped them in providing their basic needs. "We are happy that we are going home," concluded the students.

In other news, a teenage girl from Chandigarh told Asianet News at the hotel in the village of Jesho on the Ukraine-Poland border, where the rescued Indian students are being housed, "They (Ukrainian residents) refused to let us in. The Ukrainian citizens pushed and slapped the Indian students. They stated that 'since your prime minister and government did not vote in the United Nations, we would not allow any black persons to board the train.' It was a huge pain to get on the train."

Also Read | Ukrainians told Indian students, 'will not let black people enter trains'

Also Read | 'Good on PM Modi's part to send 4 ministers...' says Indian envoy to Poland

Also Read | Operation Ganga: 'PM Modi says no Indian going abroad should feel unsafe...' Gen VK Singh