LS speaker starts 24-hour helpline for Indian students stranded in Ukraine

New Delhi, Feb 25: Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla started a helpline for for Indian students stranded in Ukraine. So far, more than 100 students from 15 states have contacted the helpline which was started at his residence office here and at camp office in his parliamentary constituency Kota-Bundi.

Birla took an initiative to help the Indian students trapped in the eastern European country after Russia invaded it, by starting a 24-hour helpline, which can be contacted on 011-23014011 and 23014022 in New Delhi and 0744-2505555 and 9414037200 in his Kota Camp office, the Lok Sabha Secretariat said in an official statement.

Information about the students and their parents has been collected from the helpline and made available to the Ministry of External Affairs, the secretariat said.

At the same time, students and parents are being informed through WhatsApp and phone calls about whatever information is being released from the Ministry of External Affairs and the Indian Embassy in Ukraine, it said.Apart from this, an appeal is also being made to the students to maintain restraint and patience, take shelter in safe places till help arrives and help each other through the helpline, the secretariat said.