Kota: Om Birla meets family of student stranded in Ukraine, reaffirms govt's commitment towards safe return of citizens

Kota (Rajasthan) [India], March 3 : Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Thursday met the family of a student stranded in Ukraine, in his home constituency Kota, and informed them that their son has reached safely on the border of Slovakia and the government of India is making serious efforts to bring back all the stranded Indians including him from the Eastern European country.
Speaking to the media here, Birla said, "Arpit Sharma has reached the Slovakia border and has been made to stay at a hotel. He would be brought to Delhi soon. The government of India is committed and serious efforts are underway to evacuate the stranded Indian students from Ukraine. During the war situation, until the time that the students do not reach the border from their home, the family remains worried and also the government. As soon as this came to my attention, I spoke to the EAM."
Ankit Sharma, brother of Arpit, said that his brother is in the safe zone.
"Om Birla came to our house and assured us of his safe return. He is in the safe zone, along with him all the others who have crossed the border and are there in Slovakia and are in the safe zone. He has spoken to the Ministry, they will bring our brother back at the soonest," he said.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday said that a total of 18,000 Indian nationals have left Ukraine since the first travel advisory was issued by the Indian Embassy in Kyiv.
As many as 18 flights are scheduled for the next 24 hours including three IAF C-17 and other commercials flights like Air India, Indigo, Spice jet, Go first and Go Air, said MEA official spokesperson Arindam Bagchi, speaking at the special briefing on Operation Ganga, to bring back Indian citizens from Ukraine amid Russia's military operation.