A total of 114 students, hailing from different parts of Gujarat, have returned home so far after being evacuated by the Indian authorities from war-torn Ukraine, a state government official said on Tuesday.
The latest batch of 20 students reached Gujarat from Delhi by train and buses on Monday evening in three separate groups, said Vikramsinh Jadav, an officer attached to the NRI division of the state government's General Administration Department.
"On Sunday and Monday, a total of 114 of our students reached Gujarat after they were evacuated from Ukraine. Out of them, 51 students reached Gujarat from Mumbai, while 63 arrived by trains, buses or other vehicles from Delhi. They are being brought from Mumbai and Delhi free of cost," the official said.
Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel had on Monday welcomed some of the students who reached the state capital Gandhinagar in a bus from Delhi. Meanwhile, parents of several other students from different parts of the state are still waiting for their return from Ukraine, which is invaded by Russia.
Five students from the Tapi district are still stranded in Ukraine. Out of them, three students have somehow managed to reach neighbouring Poland, while two are close to the Ukraine border, Sub-Divisional Magistrate R C Patel said after meeting the parents of these students. Besides, 35 students hailing from the Bhavnagar district are also stuck in Ukraine at present.
District officials met the parents of these students and collected information about their exact location and the present situation, a release from the district collectorate said, adding that the families were assured that both the state and the Centre were working to bring all the students back home safely.
With PTI inputs.