India to bear expenses for medical treatment of student who sustained bullet injuries in Ukraine's Kyiv: MEA
Mar 04, 2022
New Delhi [India], March 4 : The Government of India will bear the expenses for medical treatment of an Indian student who sustained multiple bullet injuries while trying to leave Kyiv in conflict-ridden Ukraine, said the Ministry of External Affairs on Friday.
Speaking on a special briefing on Operation Ganga, MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said, "Government of India will be bearing expenses for Harjot Singh's medical treatment in Kyiv, Ukraine. We are trying to ascertain his medical status. Our embassy is trying to get an update on his health status and is trying to reach out but facing trouble as it is a conflict zone."
"We are reiterating that we are not aware of any Indian being held hostage. They are facing difficulty due to security reasons, particularly in Kharkiv, Ukraine, but no hostage situation," he added.
Speaking from his hospital bed in Kyiv, Harjot Singh urged the Indian embassy in Ukraine to evacuate him and help him with documentation.
Harjot Singh told ANI that he sustained multiple injuries due to bullets fired at the car in which he was travelling.
"This is February 27 incident. We were three people in a cab on our way to the third 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," Harjot Singh said.
The Indian student said he regained consciousness at 10 pm on March 2 night.
"The doctors explained to me everything that I was shot and I was brought to hospital from the spot. They told me that I kept lying on the road for nearly four hours. I had lost a lot of blood. Two bullets hit my left leg, one my other leg and a bullet entered my chest. They extracted the bullet from my chest and I continue to have pain. My leg has been plastered but I am much better than before," he said.
Harjot Singh, who is pursuing studies in Information Technology, said he had not received support from the Indian embassy yet.
"I have been trying to get in touch with them, every day they say we will do something but no help yet," he said.
"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 added.
Tensions have escalated following Russia's military action in Ukraine and the government has arranged flights from countries neighbouring Ukraine for the evacuation of Indian students.
Harjot Singh said that the day he suffered bullet injuries, he had gone to catch a train but could not do so.
"I went to board a train. I tried three-four times, but I could not board the train. In the end, we decided that we would hire a private cab. The fares of the cabs were high. We would have been charged nearly Rs 4,000 on normal days in the Indian currency. However, on that day we were asked nearly USD 3,000. We were three people and we shared the cab with equal contribution.," he said.
Over 20,000 Indians have left the Ukraine border following advisories issued to them.
