Indian expat students seek help to return to UAE

Rising virus cases in India forces them to call upon authorities to return home

Indian expat parents in the UAE are calling upon relevant government authorities to intervene and help their children return to the Emirates.

Distraught parents and their children came together in a Zoom meeting to express their concerns and fears over the Covid-19 pandemic in India and the need for governments to do something to bring the students to the UAE so they can be reunited.

Repatriation flights between the UAE and India are resuming today.

Caroline Susan Thomas is one angry student who is raising her voice for the return of several stranded Indian expat students who have been forced out of their campus or made to live close to quarantine centres, thereby posing a severe risk to their health and overall safety and security.

Thomas, a second year student studying electronics and communication in the Indian state of Karnataka has sent out several emails to the Ministry of External Affairs, India and the UAE Embassy, New Delhi, India to take immediate action for their safe return to the UAE. “But nothing has come so far. Our safety and security is at risk, something needs to be done,” she said.

Palash Patil, a final year mechanical engineering student studying in Mangalore, was another vocal participant in the Zoom meeting which included media from India and the UAE. He said he wanted to urgently return home as he has been asked to vacate his dorm more than a month ago and has been living at his friend’s place.

“I am also concerned that part of my hostel has been turned into a quarantine centre. ”

The students also said they fear risk of contracting the virus as there has been a steady rise in the number of Covid-19 positive cases in India.