CHENNAI: The 10-member special team comprising IAS officers and MPs formed to facilitate the evacuation of Tamil students stranded in Ukraine would return to Chennai on Saturday morning after completing their mission. All the students from the state who were willing to return have reached the safety of their homes on Friday.
The special team was originally scheduled to visit Hungary, Romania, Poland and Slovakia, the neighbouring countries of Ukraine where students from Tamil Nadu have taken shelter and make arrangements for bringing them back. However, the team remained in New Delhi and was in regular touch with the External Affairs Ministry for evacuating the Tamil students from Ukraine.
Out of the 1,920 Tamil students who have registered their names with the State government, 1,866 have returned. This includes the 361 students who had reached Tamil Nadu on their own efforts. The last batch of students arrived in New Delhi on Friday afternoon. In all, 61 students had reached the national capital on Friday.
Asked whether all students have returned safely from Ukraine, Tiruchy MP, N Siva told reporters at New Delhi, “As per the number of students registered with the Tamil Nadu government, all have returned while 34 declined to come back.”
“There was serious concern over the students stranded in Sumy university area. These students had reached Poland by walk and from there they had reached New Delhi on Friday,” Siva added.
Chief Minister MK Stalin is likely to receive the last set of students along with the special team when they reach Chennai airport on Saturday.