Category: alert

SRINAGAR: Anxiety and uncertainty continue to grip several families across
Kashmir whose children are pursuing higher education in Iran, as the
ongoing war-like situation in the country has heightened fears about the
safety and mental well-being of hundreds of Indian students.
Concerned parents and stranded students have urged the Government of India
(GoI) to immediately initiate evacuation measures, preferably through the
Armenia border, as the security situation in various Iranian cities
continues to deteriorate.
On Saturday, a group of anxious parents met the Divisional Commissioner
(Div Com) Kashmir and apprised him of the growing concerns regarding the
safety of their children studying in different universities across Iran.
During the meeting, the parents requested the administration to take up the
matter urgently with the Ministry of External Affairs and ensure the safe
return of the students.
The Div Com assured the parents that the administration is closely
monitoring the situation and is in touch with the concerned authorities.
"Necessary efforts are being made to address the issue, although the
evacuation process may take some time due to the prevailing circumstances,"
he said.
One of the parents said the situation in Iran has become extremely
alarming, and families back home are under immense mental stress.
"Our children are living in constant fear. We keep hearing about explosions
and attacks in different cities. As parents, we are unable to sleep or
focus on anything. We request the Government of India to evacuate them at
the earliest," he said.
Another parent said several countries have already started evacuating their
citizens from Iran and urged the Indian government to take swift action.
"Countries like Azerbaijan have already evacuated their nationals. We urge
the Government of India to take similar steps and arrange the safe
evacuation of our children. Their safety must be the top priority," the
parent added.
Some parents assembled at the Press Colony, Srinagar and reiterated that
the evacuation process should be fully coordinated and managed by the GoI
to ensure a safe and organised return of the students.
Students studying in different Iranian cities described the situation as
tense and frightening amid reports of explosions and security alerts.
A student studying in Shiraz said multiple blasts were heard near their
hospital and even around the passport office, forcing them to remain in
underground shelters.
"Yesterday, we heard several blasts near our hospital and even close to the
passport office. Authorities asked us to stay underground for safety. The
situation is extremely frightening, and we are worried about what might
happen next," the student said.
Students from Tehran University of Medical Sciences also reported that the
city of Qom has been placed on red alert following reports of explosions in
the region. "We have been told that Qom is on red alert after explosions
were reported there. Many of us are extremely anxious and want to return
home safely," another student said.
Earlier, students in cities such as Urmia and Qom were asked to prepare a
list of those willing to travel through the Armenia border route. However,
the response remained limited as many students requested that the
evacuation process be directly arranged by the Embassy of India in Iran.
Dr Mohammad Momin Khan, National Representative of the All India Medical
Students Association (AIMSA) and its JK President, met Iran's Ambassador to
India, Mohammad Fathali, and raised serious concerns regarding the safety
of Indian students studying in Iranian universities.
During the meeting, Dr Khan urged the ambassador to facilitate the safe
return of Indian citizens and ensure coordination with authorities to
support evacuation efforts.
According to the AIMSA representative, the Indian Embassy in Iran has
offered logistical support to help Indian students relocate to neighbouring
Armenia, which is considered relatively safer under the current
circumstances. However, students have been asked to arrange their own
onward travel from Armenia to India.
Dr Momin, who remains in constant contact with nearly 1,000 students
studying across various Iranian universities, said many students are
currently stranded at Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences,
Tehran University of Medical Sciences, and Urmia University of Medical
Sciences, while some have reportedly been shifted to an undisclosed
location in Qom due to security concerns.
He said the embassy has informed students that they may leave the country
through the Armenian border, but only after fulfilling certain conditions.
As per the communication, the students, those willing to leave Iran through
Armenia, must first book their flight tickets from Armenia to New Delhi. A
copy of the confirmed ticket must then be submitted to the Indian Embassy,
after which the embassy will inform them about the time and arrangements
for travelling from cities such as Shiraz to the Armenian border. Students
without confirmed tickets will not be allowed to cross the border.
Students will also be required to pay a visa fee of 10 US dollars at the
Armenian border.
Officials have further informed that if students reach Armenia earlier than
their scheduled flight date, they will have to arrange their own
accommodation and hotel stay until they depart for India.
However, if more than 40 to 50 students opt for this route together, the
embassy may arrange a bus for their travel and possibly provide
accommodation in Urmia before their onward journey.
At the same time, the embassy has clarified that if students decide to
leave Iran through this route, the responsibility of the journey will rest
with the students themselves, and the embassy will not take responsibility
for their travel.
The advisory issued by the embassy currently asks students to remain where
they are and avoid unnecessary movement. Officials have also indicated that
there is no official evacuation plan in place for now.
Dr Momin said confusion continues to prevail among students regarding
travel arrangements and the high cost involved.
"Many students cannot afford the airfare from Armenia to New Delhi, which
currently costs nearly Rs 1 lakh per ticket. Some students who can afford
the fare have already booked their flights from Armenia," he said.
Most of the students are from Jammu and Kashmir and would be able to travel
easily to their hometowns from New Delhi once they reach India.
"Many students believe that the Government of India should arrange
repatriation flights and bear the cost of their return," he added. (KNO)