New Delhi: The Attorney General K.K. Venugopal on Friday informed the Supreme Court that the students from National Medical University in Odessa, Ukraine, who were stranded near the Ukraine-Romania border, have crossed over to Romania. The Centre’s top law officer added that these students would be brought back this night by a special flight.
A bench headed by Chief Justice N.V. Ramana and comprising Justices A.S. Bopanna and Hima Kohli appreciated the effort put by Venugopal in ensuring the safe return of students from Ukraine. Senior advocate A.M. Dhar, representing the petitioner Fathima Ahana, thanked the top court for its timely intervention in the matter and also the AG.
At the outset, the AG submitted before the bench that the petitioner’s details were shared with a senior minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, who is currently in Romania facilitating the evacuation Of Indian students.
The AG added that he has been assured that the petitioner and other students from Odessa have crossed over to Romania and they will reach India Friday night. He said that so far 17,000 Indians have been evacuated from Ukraine.
The AG also informed the top court that the Prime Minister had a high-level meeting with ministers this morning to expedite the evacuation of remaining Indians from Ukraine.
The top court appreciated the government’s efforts in the matter, but also pointed out the concerns of parents in connection with the safe return of their children from Ukraine. “You can set up an online helpline for parents to know (the whereabouts of their children)…you can work out something,” said the Chief Justice.
The Supreme Court on Thursday asked the AG to look into a petition seeking evacuation of the Indian students stranded in the war-torn Ukraine.
The petitioner’s counsel submitted that his client with 250 other students from National Medical University in Odessa, Ukraine, are stranded near the Ukraine-Romania border and they are facing issues crossing over to Romania. The counsel submitted that students are stranded amid freezing temperatures, and struggling to access food and water.
–IANS