The first batch of Kashmiri students evacuated from conflict-hit Iran arrived in the Valley on Friday, after a long journey through multiple countries.
A total of 94 students from Jammu and Kashmir were among 110 Indian nationals flown out of Iran on Thursday via Armenia and Qatar. After reaching Doha, they were transported to New Delhi, from where buses were arranged to bring them to the Union Territory.
“While around 20 students arrived in the Valley on Thursday, the rest of the group reached today,” said Nasir Khuehami, National Convenor of the Jammu and Kashmir Students’ Association.
Speaking to reporters in Jammu, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said that around 1,400 people from Jammu and Kashmir had been stranded in Iran amid the escalating tensions in the region. He said another 400 students were expected to return soon.
Several students complained about the poor condition of the buses provided for the final leg of the journey, following which the Chief Minister’s Office intervened.
“We have been travelling for days and are exhausted. The buses provided were in poor shape,” a female student told reporters in New Delhi.
The Chief Minister’s Office said on Friday that the Resident Commissioner in Delhi had been instructed to coordinate with the Jammu and Kashmir Road Transport Corporation (JKRTC) to ensure better transportation arrangements.
“The Chief Minister has taken note of the request of the students evacuated from Iran regarding the quality of buses arranged to transport them from Delhi to J&K. The Resident Commissioner has been tasked with coordinating with the JKRTC to ensure proper deluxe buses are arranged,” the Chief Minister’s office said in a post on X.
The road journey from Delhi to Srinagar spans over 800 km and typically takes 18 to 20 hours.
Families of the students had earlier appealed to the government for urgent evacuation after Iran and Israel exchanged missile strikes in April. Chief Minister Abdullah said he had taken up the matter with India’s Ministry of External Affairs, requesting swift action to ensure the students’ safety.
According to official estimates, more than 1,300 students from Jammu and Kashmir are currently enrolled in professional courses at universities across Iran.