Kashmir Digits

Indian students stuck at Ukraine-Poland border have alleged that they were ‘manhandled’ and ‘ill-treated’ by the Ukrainian security personnel allegedly because India did not condemn the Russian invasion at the UN Security Council.

Many of these students, who were stuck for over 72 hours in freezing cold conditions, alleged that they were kicked, beaten up, dragged and some even had their phones snatched from them. According to Sandeep Kaur, the Ukrainians were earlier allowing some students to cross but later stopped them from entering Poland. 

“I was waiting along with my brother and some of our friends in a group. First, the officials asked us to stand in a line and we did. Later they asked the girls to make a separate line… They then let me cross the border while my brother waited on the other side. When my brother said that he too is in the queue, they dragged and beat him with a baton,” Kaur told this correspondent.

The student rued that there was none from the Indian Embassy to coordinate with the Ukrainian authorities at the border. “After we crossed the Poland border, we met Indian embassy officials but there was none on the Ukrainian side. Boys on the Ukrainian side have been manhandled badly. Now my brother is returning to his college hostel along with his friends as the situation has worsened.”

When contacted regarding the incidents, MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi declined to comment. According to Monisha Kalburgi, a student of Lviv National Medical University, some of her friends returned from the Poland border. Ukrainian personnel are unhappy that India favoured Russia, she claimed, adding that this was the reason for the ill-treatment.

‘No one from embassy to coordinate’

The student rued that there was none from the Indian Embassy to coordinate with the Ukrainian authorities at the border. When contacted regarding the incidents, MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi declined to comment.

Some students have also complained that they were kept in an hostage-like situation in the freezing cold and denied water and food.

Another group of 21 Indian students of Chernivtsi National University are stranded in Chernivtsi. Some have alleged that girl students were harassed and beaten by Ukrainian Police guards, IANS reported.

Priya, one of the students, said Indian students were stranded on the roads and running out of money and food.

“For last four days we have been eating only three to four spoons of rice. Now, the Embassy has asked us to board a train on our own risk to move out of the town. We somehow reached Chernivtsi and have spent nearly Rs 2.5 lakh so far. No train was available and we are losing hope,” she told IANS.