Over five hundred Kashmiri students stranded in Aligarh demand evacuation

Srinagar: Around 500 students from the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir stranded in Aligarh due to nationwide lockdown to prevent spread of COVID-19, have appealed the authorities to evacuate them.

A group of students of Aligarh Muslim University told over phone that they have are stranded from last two months due to COVID-19 lockdown and desperately want to return home.

Basharat Saleem, a student of AMU said that around 500 students enrolled in AMU besides others who had come there for coaching purposes are stranded since the nationwide lockdown was imposed in March.

“We are facing a lot of problems and it is very difficult to stay back under these circumstances. It’s taking a toll on our mental health as we are feeling depressed. We appeal the authorities in J-K to evacuate us as our families are also suffering,” he said.

He said they had been trying to contact various helpline numbers and emails provided by the J-K administration but they have not received any response so far.

“J-K administration should evacuate us as we are facing problems on a daily basis and many among us are also facing financial problems,” he said.

Another student said that their families are worried about their safety and health. “Even though our university is providing us everything whatever we need but there are some students who are living in rented accommodations, they are face acute shortage of money besides other essential commodities.”

The students said that when the government has managed to evacuate students from far off states why not from UP which is near to J-K.

They appealed the Lt Governor led administration and Chief Secretary to intervene and help them evacuate and facilitate their return home. (KNO)