Family members scared, calling multiple times: Kashmiri students stranded in Iran

New Delhi: Faizan Ali, a 21-year-old student of Kerman University of Medical Sciences in Iran, has never got so many calls from family members as much as he is receiving these days.

Ali, who hails from Srinagar, told a news agency that his family members are scared for his safety amid the Iran-Israel conflict.

“I have been in boarding school since class 7 and I am not used to talking to my family members daily. But ever since Israel launched an attack on Iran, my family has been calling me 10 times a day enquiring about my well-being,” he said over a WhatsApp call.

Meanwhile, the Jammu and Kashmir Students Association on Monday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking intervention for the evacuation of hundreds of Kashmiri students stranded in Iran.

Ali, who is in first year of the medical college, said their exams were ending on Tuesday, but the university has announced cancellation of exams and closure of the varsity till October.

“We have been told that we can go back home. There are over 120 students from Kashmir in our university. But our side is relatively safe. Tehran is completely devastated,” he said.

Recalling the last few days, he said that on Thursday night, everything was normal but when they woke up next morning, the situation was completely different.

“There was fear all around. We heard gunshots. The students in Tehran are really scared. Since it is the centre of the country, evacuation is also a challenge. But I have heard that students are being taken to safe locations,” he added.

The 21-year-old said that the internet services are also affected in the country.

“It is taking three to four minutes for WhatsApp messages to go through. That day, my father asked me whether I had food and if I was doing fine. I texted him back saying I was safe but that message took nearly half an hour to reach him,” he said, and urged people back home to pray for the safety of those stuck in Iran.

The medical student said they are hoping that they will be evacuated either by Monday evening or Tuesday morning.

Another student said they have packed their bags but lamented that they have run out of money.

“We have packed our bags. We cannot withdraw money and we cannot transfer through online means since the internet is poor. But after evacuation, the Indian embassy will be taking care of our needs,” she said.

Moien Mushtaq, a third year student of Ahvaz Jondishapur University of Medical Sciences, said there are 10 Indian students along with him, who are stuck in the two hostels of the varsity.

“Seven of us are in one hostel and four women in another hostel are stuck. We are in touch with the Indian embassy and we are being told we will be evacuated soon but nothing seems to be happening,” he said, adding students from Pakistan and Arab countries have been evacuated.

The 21-year-old from Kupwara in Jammu and Kashmir said that their family members had also protested back home demanding their evacuation.

“Our families are scared. The network is also weak and we are unable to speak to them,” he added.

Mushtaq said they had bought food supplies on Friday when the attacks started.

“We are staring at uncertainty. We do not know what will happen next. We saw missiles being intercepted. My elder sister is studying in Shahid Beheshti University. There were attacks near the varsity and students were in trauma. But now they have been relocated,” he added.

In a statement, the Jammu and Kashmir Students Association said these students travelled to Iran to pursue professional education, particularly MBBS degree, owing to the country’s economically viable academic infrastructure.

National convenor of the association, Nasir Khuehami, said many students are enrolled in colleges and universities located dangerously close to key military installations and strategic targets.

Khuehami said that the students are living in constant fear and trauma. “Parents are deeply distressed and anxious for their children’s safety,” he said.

The association urged the prime minister to direct the Ministry of External Affairs to take immediate steps for relocating the students to safer areas within Iran and begin urgent evacuation efforts.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Sunday said he spoke to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar regarding students from the Union Territory stranded in Iran and was assured that necessary steps would be taken to ensure safety of all Indian students.

On Sunday, Indian nationals in Iran were asked to exercise due caution and maintain contact with the Embassy of India in Tehran through its social media accounts in view of the current situation in the country following the launch of strikes by Israel.