Over 120 students of Himachal Pradesh are stranded in war-torn Ukraine and the government has contacted External Affairs minister S Jaishankar for their safe return, Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur informed the state assembly on Friday.

He was replying to the Leader of Opposition Mukesh Agnihotri who raised concern on safety and evacuation of students from Himachal on the third day of the ongoing budget session of state assembly as soon as the house convened.

Thakur stated that the state government had urged the parents of the youth who were stranded in Ukraine to inform about the location of their wards on CM Helpline 1100 so that the government can have the exact number of residents of the state.

So far, the parents of 60 youth have contacted us for safe return of their wards but the exact number could be more (around 120 or 130). All other left out parents should contact us as it will help us in better coordination with the Centre government for their safe evacuation, the CM said.

He stated that after the war between Russia and Ukraine started on Thursday, the airspace in the war torn country had been closed for flight movement and now it is almost difficult to evacuate them by air.

Now the possibility of their return by road was being mulled by the Centre government via Hungary or Poland.

It has further come to our notice through videos of the stranded youth that they were called by medical universities to attend offline classes as the Covid pandemic situation improved in the country.

The students wanted to return to India after the Indian government issued an advisory advising them to return but the universities kept them in the dark about tensions with Russia. Besides, they were even warned of rustication from the university if they returned to their native places, he stated.

Thakur further stated that many youth from the state had gone to Ukraine for medical studies or for purposes of jobs or business but the government didn’t have an exact number.

After the war started in the country many of them were now living in fear and the Indian Embassy and the universities are making efforts to shift them to safer locations.

“Yesterday Prime Minister Narendra Modi had talked to Russian President Vladimir Putin to ensure safety of Indian nationals in Ukraine till the time they aren’t safely evacuated.

The Indian government is also in touch with the Ukraine government,” he added.

He also assured of extended all possible help for their safe return and added the government was concerned about their safety and security.

Earlier, Mukesh Agnihotri raised the issue and said many students were stuck in Ukraine and the government should extend all possible help even monetary as flight ticket prices have gone to them.