About 135 students of the National Institute of Technology, Srinagar, belonging to Telangana and Andhra Pradesh are returning home with the governments of both the Telugu states making necessary travel arrangements for them. However, the Srinagar district collector disputed NIT claim that the order to close the institute came from them.
The students were stuck in Srinagar on Saturday after authorities announced that classes at NIT would be suspended indefinitely till further orders in view of the security alert in Jammu and Kashmir.The Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) working president KT Rama Rao tweeted that the Telugu students have reached Jammu and the government was arranging train tickets for them to return to Hyderabad.
The students were asked to return to their native places immediately due to security reasons. The NIT authorities have arranged four buses for them up to Jammu.
According to a statement from Andhra Pradesh government, three buses have been arranged to bring the students to New Delhi from Jammu.
Rama Rao, a former minister in Telangana, had earlier tweeted that he had been receiving some anxious messages from Telugu students of NIT, Srinagar as the government of India has asked for the campus to be vacated and asked students to leave immediately.
Been receiving some anxious messages from Telugu students of NIT, Srinagar as Govt of India has asked for campus to be vacated & asked students to leave immediately
— KTR (@KTRTRS) August 3, 2019
Be rest assured, Govt of Telangana will assist you in safe return. Have alerted our officials to reach out & help
The officials of both the Telugu states in New Delhi were in touch with the students and making arrangements for travel to their native places.
Telangana government said any student/parent seeking assistance may contact Resident Commissioner Vedantam Giri at 011-23382041 or on his mobile +91 99682 99337 at Telangana Bhavan, New Delhi.
The students from Andhra Pradesh may contact P Ravi Shanker OSD, AP Bhavan on his mobile at +91 9871999055.
Necessary accommodation and food arrangements have been made for the students in AP Bhavan, New Delhi.
“More than us, our parents back home are panicking. There is no reason to worry as all 130 students are safe and would be reaching home soon,” said Jayanth, a second-year mechanical engineering student told ToI.
Adnan Qayyum, dean, students welfare, NIT Srinagar told TNIE, "We are in touch with the students and to ensure their safety, a couple of faculty members are accompanying them on the bus till Jammu. Outstation students were ferried in the buses provided by the state government. From Jammu, their respective state governments have made travel arrangements." The official, however, said he was not aware as to why the students were evacuated, and there is no clarity on when the classes would resume either.
ToI reported the NIT director as saying that classes were suspended in accordance with the instructions received from the district administration. However, district collector Srinagar Shahid Iqbal Choudhary tweeted out saying no instructions were given to shut the institute. “In wake of unstoppable rumours, heads of all institutions were advised in the day to remain careful. No advise/ instructions for shutting down any institution. This NIT notice is apparently a miscommunication," Choudhary tweeted.
We notify when we issue closure order. Our 900+ schools/KVs are open today. Objected to NIT claim of Dist Adm directions to close instt. Citing SM triggered panic among parents they sought transportation help for limited numbers. We assured full security in campus too. That's all https://t.co/Xr1ykenWMf
— Shahid Choudhary (@listenshahid) August 3, 2019
(With IANS inputs)