ATHANI: “As heavy bombing continues, we students from India are falling ill because of the dust, air and noise pollution. We have no other option but to stay in the bunkers as the war has reached our city and we can hear Russian tanks rolling close to our shelter,” said Rakshit Ravi Gani, a medical student from Athani, who is trapped at Kharkiv in Ukraine.
Speaking to TNIE over phone, Rakshit, a first-year student at the Kharkiv National Medical University, said he and his friends have not had sufficient water and food over the last few days, which is affecting their health.
“I am staying along with 150 other students from Karnataka. We are not allowed to step out of the bunkers as the Russian army has already reached near our place. We hear the sound of firing and bombing continuously. We are scared and desperate for help,” he said. Rakshit said that he was earlier advising his parents to remain calm as he would return home safely.
He tried to contact the Indian Ambassador seeking help, but could not. He and his friends appealed to the Indian government to immediately make arrangements to rescue them as the situation is getting deadlier by the day.