Lagatar24 Desk
Bengaluru:
As the Israel-Iran conflict intensifies, Indian families are growing increasingly desperate for updates on the safety of their children stranded in the region. For Imran and Shabana Mehdi from Richmond Town, Bengaluru, whose daughter Fareehy is studying medicine at Tehran University of Medical Sciences, each passing day without contact is agonising.
Daughter caught in war-like crisis, communication unstable
“We are extremely worried. A blast occurred near her hostel just a couple of days ago. She doesn’t know how to survive in war-like situations. She’s panicking,” said Shabana in an emotional appeal. The couple last spoke to their daughter via video call five days ago and now rely on intermittent WhatsApp messages due to poor internet connectivity.
“It’s a terrible state for a mother to be in. I speak not only for myself but for thousands of parents whose children are still in Iran,” she added. According to Shabana, over 10,500 Indian medical students and another 4,000 Indian nationals are currently stuck in Iran.
Flights cancelled, evacuation efforts underway
Imran Mehdi shared that he had managed to book a commercial ticket for June 15 to bring his daughter back, but Iran’s airspace closure rendered it useless. The family acknowledged and appreciated the government’s efforts under ‘Operation Sindhu’, which has so far relocated some students to Armenia.
“We’ve been told a batch of students, possibly including our daughter, have been shifted to Armenia for safety. But we aren’t allowed to know their exact location for security reasons,” Shabana said.
Ray of hope as first evacuees land
The first evacuation flight carrying 110 Indian students, who had crossed into Armenia, landed in New Delhi early Thursday morning, offering a glimmer of hope to the waiting families. However, thousands more remain in precarious conditions, prompting growing calls for faster action from the Indian government.
The Mehdies urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar to prioritise the safe return of all Indian citizens still stuck in Iran. “Please hurry. These are young students caught in the middle of a war,” Shabana appealed.
