As missiles criss-cross Iran, traumatised Indian students appeal for evacuation

As Israel and Iran continued to trade missiles for the fifth consecutive day, traumatised Indian students stranded in Iran's Kermanshah were waiting anxiously to be evacuated by the embassy. What has given them hope amid the intense hostilities is the evacuation of 110 Indian students from Tehran to Armenia, from where they would be flown to Delhi.

Faizan, the Iran coordinator of the Jammu and Kashmir Students Association, told India Today that the situation in Kermanshah was critical, with airstrikes by Israel flattening a nearby hospital and another attack on a hostel injuring two Kashmiri students.

"A hospital in Kermanshah was attacked, and there was also an incident at a hostel where two Kashmiri students were injured. This shows how dangerous things have become. Indian students are extremely traumatised," Faizan told India Today.

STUDENTS MOVED TO QOM

The sound of missiles criss-crossing overhead and trails of smoke only add to the fear. Around 1,000-1,500 Indian students are believed to be in Iran, a preferred destination by some to study medicine.

A student of Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Faizan said support groups were created for Indian students across Iran as soon as the conflict began.

On Monday, Indian students in Tehran, spread across three universities, were moved via buses to Qom - a religious city deemed relatively safer than the capital. Faizan said around 10 to 20 students were still in Tehran, and they would be relocated by the end of Tuesday.

Despite the challenges, Faizan acknowledged the Indian embassy's constant communication and support since the crisis, which began on June 13 when Israel launched 'Operation Rising Lion', targeting Iran's nuclear sites. Iran has claimed the airstrikes have left over 225 people dead, mostly civilians.

"The Indian embassy has been facilitating everything - from transport and shelter to food," he said.

The student requested the Indian embassy to evacuate them at the earliest, saying the most feasible route would be through the Afghanistan border.

"We are all very anxious. The most feasible route for evacuation from here would be through the Afghanistan border, which is the closest. We sincerely hope the Indian embassy facilitates our evacuation at the earliest," he appealed.

'MOVED FROM HIGH-RISK AREA TO LOW-RISK ONE'

In Qom, around 150 km from Tehran, the situation is comparatively safer. Enam Ishfaq, a third-year MBBS student who was relocated to Qom, said missile sounds could be heard here too now and then, and sought evacuation.

"We can hear missile sounds from here. Internet services are down here. We can't contact our families. We want the embassy to evacuate us by road as the airspace is closed," he said.

Another Indian student of Shahid Beheshti University said moving students from a high-risk area to a low-risk area was not the solution.

"We need proper evacuation, our families are very stressed. We came here to build our future, but now we have to pack our bags to go home," he said.

On Tuesday, the first batch of 110 Indian nationals, including 90 Kashmiri students of Urmia Medical University, safely crossed into Armenia and were taken to the capital city, Yerevan. Their flight from Armenia to Delhi is scheduled for tomorrow.