Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): “Please send someone from the university. Students whose university officials are here are getting safe passage. We are injured and in pain. We have run out of pain killer tablets. We have run out of food and water. The Ukrainians are firing in the air to scare us into keeping quiet. We cannot take it anymore!”
These are the words of an MBBS student Aabhas Parihar from Ternopil Medical University, stuck at Romania border. He belongs to Bhopal.
With a soar throat, Aabhas called his mother to tell her about his friend Satyam who is injured amidst the stampede being caused while crossing the border.
His clothes are torn and they have no first aid available at hand. Among over 5,000 students at the border trying to find a way to cross it, students of Ternopil Medical University are still waiting for authorities to come over and help them.
“Deans of many universities are here at the border, helping their students to get a safe passage. Students of Vinnitsia Medical University crossed the border with the help of their dean. If there is some official from the university backing us, we may also be helped,” he said.
Another student, Salika Sahrawat, said, “My knees are hurt. I was trying to cross the border as the embassy people had asked us to find our way inside Romani. But few Nigerian girls blocked our way and we were hit. They said if our embassy asks them to make way for us, they will. In response, embassy asked us to find way from behind. We tried that and again were hurt. We are back on the streets, out of queue. Our bodies cannot take it anymore. The soldiers at borders have asked us to call someone from the university. Please send help.”
“The Ukrainian soldiers fire in the air to scare us. We are scared. Everyone has tears in eyes. We may cross the border if there is a university personnel over here,” she added.
Aabhas’ mother Suneeta Parihar said, “When I contacted the university officials, Professor Puneet told me that our kids did not leave the campus with their approval. Nobody was going to fetch them or help them. They will find their way out. They cannot risk our lives going out.”
When Free Press tried to contact the university, the students’ coordinator for evacuation Olena said, “We were about to leave with vice rector Anton. I had packed my bags too. But when she checked the lines, she came to know that it was 50 kilometres away. Even if we leave, it will take us 2 days. So, the authorities decided not to let any official leave for the border.”
