By SCALE UB news team : 19/06/2025
News summary:
Ninety students from Jammu & Kashmir, evacuated from Iran under Operation Sindhu, landed in Delhi but complained about substandard buses for the final leg home. Responding quickly, J&K CM Omar Abdullah directed that deluxe coaches be arranged instead. The prompt action comes amid growing calls to ensure dignified travel for youth rescued from a conflict-hit zone.
Detail news:
After escaping missile strikes and chaos in war-torn Iran, 90 students from Jammu & Kashmir arrived safely in Delhi as part of Operation Sindhu, India’s urgent evacuation effort. However, their relief quickly turned to discomfort when they were provided low-quality buses for the long return to their hometowns in the Kashmir Valley.
Many students voiced frustration, saying the poor bus conditions were unfair after the trauma they endured in Iran. “We are already exhausted. This kind of bus makes it harder to recover,” said Shaikh Afsa, one of the medical students from Urmia University who was among those evacuated.
Deluxe Buses Ordered After Complaints
The backlash reached Jammu & Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who promptly directed officials to deploy JKRTC deluxe buses for the students’ onward journey. “All our students deserve comfort and care after what they’ve been through,” the CM stated, adding that district officials would monitor the trip to ensure smooth coordination.
The Jammu and Kashmir Road Transport Corporation (JKRTC) confirmed that multiple air-conditioned luxury coaches with reclining seats and onboard support staff were dispatched to New Delhi by evening.
Background: Operation Sindhu
The evacuation mission, named Operation Sindhu, was launched amid escalating missile exchanges between Israel and Iran. The students were first transported overland from Urmia to Armenia, then flown to Delhi via Doha. They expressed gratitude for the Indian Embassy’s coordination but also described terrifying scenes—sirens, drones overhead, and the constant threat of missile attacks.
According to government sources, over 110 Indian nationals were rescued in the first phase, and more evacuations are being planned. Around 4,000 Indians remain in Iran, half of them students.
