Tamil Nadu government safely evacuates 12 students stranded near India-Pakistan border
The five were among 12 students from Tamil Nadu who had travelled to a private university in Jalandhar district, Punjab, for higher education. With the situation in Punjab becoming increasingly tense due to the threat of cross-border conflict, the students found themselves under immense mental stress and uncertainty.
CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu government successfully rescued and repatriated 12 college students from the state who were stranded near the India-Pakistan border in Punjab amid escalating tensions. The students, enrolled in private institutions across Punjab, faced difficulties returning home as cross-border hostilities intensified.
State authorities coordinated their safe evacuation, first transporting the group to Delhi by Friday night. On Saturday morning, the students arrived in Chennai via an Air India flight, split into two batches. Officials from the Tamil Nadu Commissionerate for Rehabilitation and Welfare of Non-Resident Tamils greeted them at the airport and arranged onward travel to their hometowns, including Coimbatore, Namakkal, and Kallakurichi.
One of the students, Ajay Vasanth from Namakkal, recounted being trapped just 60 kilometers from the conflict zone. "The constant sounds of shelling left us anxious and distressed. The state government provided critical support and ensured our safety throughout," he said.
Naveen, a student from Coimbatore, shared, "We felt utterly helpless until the Tamil Nadu administration intervened. Their timely assistance and care were a lifeline." Another student, Remi (also from Coimbatore), described scrambling to reach Delhi by bus but finding herself stranded. "I had nowhere to stay until state officials contacted me and organized everything—from accommodation to flights," she added.
The operation highlights the state’s proactive measures to assist citizens during the crisis.
