Tensions are high as parents of students from Jammu and Kashmir studying in Iran are urgently appealing to the Indian government for the immediate evacuation of their children. This plea follows recent escalating hostilities between Iran and Israel, which have left families in a state of constant fear and anxiety.
Unofficial estimates suggest that over 1,500 Indian students are currently pursuing MBBS and other higher education courses in Iran, with a significant 60% of them hailing from Jammu and Kashmir. A considerable number of these students are located in Tehran, the capital city that has recently been targeted in Israeli attacks. Besides students, hundreds of pilgrims and businesspersons from Kashmir and other parts of India travel to Iran every month, further amplifying concerns about safety in the region.
The situation took a turn for the worse after an Israeli strike hit the Hujat Dost Ali Hostel in Tehran, which houses many Kashmiri students. While there were reports of minor injuries, the incident has left students traumatized and terrified, according to the J&K Students Association. Sania, an MBBS student in Tehran, shared that students have been unable to sleep due to the constant fear and uncertainty.
Parents have gathered in protest, staging demonstrations in Srinagar and appealing directly to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar for intervention. Suhail Muzammil Qadri, one of the distressed parents, implored the government to evacuate their children promptly, drawing a parallel to the evacuation efforts during the Russia-Ukraine crisis.
The J&K government has responded by setting up a control room in Srinagar to assist families and collect information about the students in Iran, including their names, contact numbers, passport details, and addresses. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has assured that the decision to evacuate will be based on the ground situation, prioritizing the safety and security of the students. Abdullah has also spoken with External Affairs Minister Jaishankar, who has assured that the Ministry of External Affairs is closely monitoring the situation and will take necessary steps to safeguard all Indian students in Iran.
Meanwhile, J&K MP Aga Ruhullah has written to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, urging either relocation within Iran or evacuation once the airspace reopens, especially after the strike on the Hujat Dost Ali Hostel. J&K Congress chief Tariq Hamid Karra has also echoed these concerns, appealing for the evacuation of the students.
Other countries, including Pakistan, have reportedly begun evacuating their students from Iran, adding to the pressure on Indian authorities to take swift action. Parents express feeling abandoned, with Rehana, a mother of a student in Iran, lamenting that while students from other countries like Iraq and Pakistan have left, their children remain stranded.
As the situation unfolds, the focus remains on the Indian government's response and the measures it will take to ensure the safe return of its students from the escalating conflict zone.
