COVID-19: Kashmiri Students Stuck in B’luru After Flights Grounded

Some 50 Kashmiri students are stranded in Bengaluru after domestic flights were suspended till 31 March by the govt.

Nearly 50 Kashmiri students of Bethel Medical Mission in Laggere reached the airport in a panic on Monday, 23 March after the government suspended domestic flights in the country from 25 March.

(Photo: Sourced by The Quint)

Nearly 50 medical students of a medical college in Laggere in Karnataka, hailing from different parts of Kashmir, are stranded in Bengaluru after the Indian government suspended domestic air travel starting 25 March till the end of the month in light of the COVID-19 outbreak that has claimed 10 lives and infected 41 people in the state so far.

No domestic commercial passenger flight would be allowed to operate in the country from 25 March to 31 March, the Union Civil Aviation Ministry said in a statement on Monday. Panicked students of Bethel Medical Mission rushed to Kempegowda International airport soon after the announcement, desperate to get on a flight back home, but to no avail.

After the state government announced the closure of schools, colleges, malls and other public places from 13 March onwards, these students had rushed to book tickets, but due to high prices could only afford tickets towards the end of the month. Unable to fly back home, they are now back in the college hostel.

“Many of us could only afford the tickets that cost Rs 10,000. Yesterday, when we went to the airport, the tickets were costing Rs 30-40,000. In one day, the government decided to stop flights, why couldn’t they have given us more time? We also want to be with our families,” said Sakeena, a 24-year-old graduate.

Dr Sunny D, chairman of Bethel Medical Mission, said that he would arrange for the students to stay in the hostel for as log as they needed, and that adequate measures had been taken to disinfect common areas and maintain distance.

‘Flights are Cancelled but Where Should we go?'

In a video released by the students from the airport, they can be seen asking the government for their support.

“They left us with only one day to travel, neither are there many seats nor can we afford the prices. We are all suffering here. We don’t know when we will go back home. We need the help of the government to go home and meet our parents. We need them the most during this epidemic and they are also worried for us as we are for them.”

Shahida, medical student

She added that many of them had parents who suffered from blood pressure, diabetes and other conditions that required medical care.

“Everything is closed and we are not supposed to go out of our room. Though Indians keep saying that we are an integral part of India, why are they not caring for us. How can people afford this? This is injustice to students,” said another student.

‘Have Stocked up on Supplies, Can Keep Them Safe Here’

According to the students, chairman of Bethel, Dr Sunny D had been understanding and accommodating of the changing situation.

Speaking to The Quint, he said that there were about 75-100 students belonging to Nepal and parts of the Northeast, who had also been unable to leave due to the sudden announcement stopping domestic travel.

“The college is closed and only some students are remaining. The majority of students booked tickets to leave by 24 March, but some others didn’t get tickets or could not afford them,” he said.

He stated that he was only allowing two people to a room, and restricted the use of the mess to only 10 students at a time.

“We will not be charging the students any extra for staying here. We have already stored rations in preparation. We will ensure that they are cared for,” said the chairman of the campus, which was set up in 2007.

“Like everyone else, we also want to be home with our families. They are worried about us. We don’t know when this epidemic will end. The cases in Bengaluru are highest in Karnataka. Even if we fall sick, we want to be with our family.”

A student