'God gave me second life': Injured Indian student in Ukraine makes fervent appeal to embassy

March 04 2022/ friday 011:20 pm/(IST) posted BY: Newsflixall.com

NEW DELHI: Harjot Singh, an Indian student who sustained multiple bullet injuries while trying to flee Ukrainian capital 

Kyiv

, has lambasted the Indian embassy for not extending any help for his evacuation.

Singh, who is receiving treatment at a hospital in Kyiv, told news agency ANI that he got assurances from the Indian embassy every day but no help came through.

"I have been trying to get in touch with them, every day they say we will do something but no help yet," Singh said.

Requesting the embassy to evacuate him from 

Ukraine

, Singh said there is no point in sending a rescue flight "after [my] death."

"It doesn't matter if you send a charter (plane) after death ... God has given me a second life, I want to live it. I request the embassy to evacuate me from here, provide me facilities like a wheelchair, help me with documentation," he said in his fervent appeal.

The Indian student also narrated the ordeal of February 27, when he was shot at while attempting to flee the crisis-hit nation.

We were 3 people in a cab on our way to the 3rd checkpoint where we were told to return due to security reasons. While coming back, multiple bullets were fired at our car due to which I sustained multiple bullet injuries," he said.

"In a statement Friday evening, the MEA said that government will bear the cost of Singh's treatment and is trying to get an update on his health status.

Recently, on March 1, a young Indian medical student, Naveen SG of Karnataka, was killed in shelling in the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv when he ventured out to buy food for himself and fellow students.

Meanwhile, minister of state for civil aviation V K Singh said on Friday the Centre is making efforts to ensure that the maximum number of students can come out of Ukraine with as little loss as possible.

India has been evacuating its citizens through special flights from Ukraine's western neighbours such as Romania, Hungary and Poland as the Ukrainian airspace has been shut since February 24 due to the Russian military offensive.

Singh said that seven flights with 200 Indian citizens on each flight have been sent to India in the last three days.

The ministry of external affairs told the Supreme Court that 17,000 Indians have been evacuated from Ukraine since 

Russia

 launched its invasion.

(With inputs from agencies)