Stranded Indian doctor & family in Kyiv seek help
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Kyiv: Dr. Rajkumar Santalani now pulls up all-nighter on the balcony of his house as the Russian aircraft fly overhead in the capital city.
He is spending time on balcony to protect his wife Dr. Mayuri Mohan Andhare and two children after the family has been left behind in the city.
The family's situation emerges after India's Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla claimed all Indians in Kyiv were evacuated.
Speaking to IANS, Rajkumar, who is also pursuing his Ph.D also shared the address of his residence where he is stranded.
"We were very sad when we came to know that it was being said in New Delhi that all Indians have been evacuated from Kiev. We have been in contact with the Embassy for the last six days... The embassy kept telling us to wait," he told IANS.
Indian authorities earlier said all students stuck in the city have been directed to head towards the border regions.
Later they were taken onboard on the waiting Indian flights in the neighbouring countries.
Harsh Vardhan Shringla said Wednesday that a total of 12,000 Indians have been rescued from Kiev.
Dr. Rajkumar Santalani decided against taking taxi after drivers over-charged, as he had no money. He said local Ukrainians were helping the family.
"There have been bomb blasts for four days. There was peace for the last two days but again, there was a huge explosion after which the warning sirens are buzzing continuously. The cold is also increasing... We have also taken rice from our neighbours to eat," he said.
Rajkumar sought from a leader in India to help the family out of the place. "he also assured to get us out of here soon, but now we are all trying to get out ourselves," he said.
The people in the neigbourhood were fighting with the guns and he was also givne a gun which he refused.
New Delhi has intensified Operation Ganga to bring back stranded Indians with reports saying that 26 aircraft to operate evacuation drive. Around 20,000 Indians were stranded in Ukraine.