VISAKHAPATNAM: Students of Andhra Pradesh heaved a sigh of relief on Monday as they were evacuated from Manipur, six days after violence erupted in the north-eastern State.
The State government had arranged two flights for 157 stranded students, studying at the National Institute of Technology (NIT), Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT), and Central Agriculture University.
According to an official statement, while 49 students arrived at the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata, 108 landed at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad. A helpdesk of the AP government at the Kolkata airport facilitated arrangements for the students for their onward travel to their native towns.
In Hyderabad, APSRTC buses were operated in four routes —Kurnool, Kadapa and Chittoor; Vijayawada, Eluru, Rajahmundry and Vishakhapatnam; Razole and Bhimavaram; and Guntur, Prakasam, and Nellore—so that students could reach their home towns. A few of the students who reached Kolkata made their own arrangements to reach home, officials said.
The students expressed gratitude to the State government for safely evacuating them from Manipur.
They said coordinated effort between the AP government, army officials, and airport authorities ensured their safe return.
Struggled for food, water amid gunshots: Students
Sharing his experience, Uday, a student at NIT Manipur, said, “The army officials arranged buses for us so we could safely reach the airport from our hostel. From providing food to ensuring that we safely boarded the connecting flight to Hyderabad, government officials at the Kolkata airport took care of everything after receiving us.”
Father of an NIT student, PB Patrudu was relieved to know his daughter will soon return home. “My daughter Divya and other students were safely transported to the airport from the hostel. They took a flight to Hyderabad and landed around 1pm. Within a few hours, students belonging to Rajamahendravaram, Visakhapatnam, and other nearby regions safely boarded the bus. We are really happy that our children were safely rescued before the situation got worse.”
Recounting the distressing experience, the evacuated students expressed, “It is horrifying to recollect the ordeals we endured over the past few days at the hostel.” “While mornings appeared relatively normal, terror unfolded in the nights. Echoes of explosions and gunshots pierced through the air.
What added to our woes was the severe scarcity of food and water supplies. While this experience will undoubtedly be etched in our memories, it’s even more distressing to think of the plight of those still struggling there,” said students.
“As we made our way from the hostel to the airport, the sight of roads ravaged by violence was disheartening. The atmosphere felt unfamiliar and unsafe, but the CRPF ensured our safety both within and outside the hostel premises.
Overcoming this situation and readjusting to reality will undoubtedly pose challenges. We are eagerly anticipating our return home to reunite with our families and friends,” the evacuated students shared with TNIE.