Indian Students Thrashed At Ukraine Border
There are several videos circulating that Indian students are being beaten up and not allowed to cross the borders from Ukraine.
India abstained from a procedural vote taken in the UN Security Council to call for a special emergency session of the UN General Assembly on Russia's war against Ukraine. However India has welcomed Russia and Ukraine's decision to hold talks at the Belarus border. Sergiy Kyslytsya, Ukrainian Ambassador to the United Nations, had issued a subtle and diplomatic threat to India by saying that countries which abstained from voting should have thought before making a decision. He did not name India, the UAE or China, the three countries which were absent but said, “It is exactly the safety of your nationals in Ukraine that you should be the first to vote to stop the war to save your nationals in Ukraine, and not to think that you should vote or not vote.” As the Ukraine-Russia crisis intensifies with President Vladimir Putin putting nuclear forces on alert, several students fleeing Kharkiv and Kyiv have alleged assault and police brutality at the Ukrainian border.
In a video, shot at night, Ukrainian guards are seen beating up women with gunshots being fired and screams heard, and their suitcase and other belongings lying on the road. In another video, a man in uniform is seen kicking a person as he walks hurriedly along with others to cross the road with his suitcase. It can’t be identified if the person is an Indian student but many stuck at the Ukrainian border have alleged assault and harassment. An Indian student, Malavika, who said in a video that she’s stuck at the Ukrainian-Slovakian border, points to the Ukrainian check post where she along with others have been stranded for 12 hours without food and water. She alleged that the police there have used chili and pepper sprays on them “thrice”, many fainted after that. She said people have contacted the Slovakian embassy for “help”. They even tried to call the Kiev embassy, which is temporarily out of service. None of the helpline and emergency numbers are working. Everybody has said they cannot do anything. So, we’re just standing here, not knowing who to call and what to do?” Another student Mansi Chaudhary said that the situation is getting worse day by day. “What is happening is they are torturing us. Indian students are being tortured. They are not allowing us to cross over to Poland. Even women students are being harassed. They are being pulled by their hair and hit with rods. Some women students have suffered fractures and injuries. Indian embassy diplomats are helping us with food and shelter. Border guards are not letting us cross. If someone tries to cross, they attack them with rods. They are punching them in the faces. Yesterday, they also opened fire.” She is now returning back to her hostel after waiting for three days, but not being allowed to cross over. Ms Chaudhary said she would reassess her strategy once she is back at her hostel and try "alternative routes. A group of Indian students said they are “scared" as they are stuck in Kiev. “There was firing at our hostel and a couple of men entered our hostel with guns. We don’t even know if they were Ukrainian or Russian soldiers. Our gate is broken. We don’t even have security. There are more than 200 students stuck in the hostel, which is close to the airport. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi too shared a video of a student being thrashed and asked the government of India to act quickly. Meanwhile, Ukrainian Ambassador to India Igor Polikha did not agree to the alleged charges of racial discrimination against Indian students. “Everyone was asked to wait in the queue, but some people tried to go on their own. Everyone must stand in the queue and Indian media should spreading lies which create panic
According to government sources, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for a high-level meeting on the Ukraine crisis. Accordingly, ministers Hardeep Puri, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Kiren Rijiju & General VK Singh will travel to neighbouring countries of Ukraine to coordinate the evacuation mission and help students.
Meanwhile the FIFA and UEFA have suspended Russian national teams and clubs from all international soccer competitions until further notice. The suspension, which comes after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, will likely leave the Russian team out of the upcoming World Cup in Qatar.
