SRINAGAR: Anxiety gripped families across Kashmir on Tuesday as parents of medical students stranded in Iran urged the Government of India to immediately evacuate their children from conflict-hit areas, particularly Urmia, where explosions were reported close to student dormitories.
With nearly 800 deaths reported so far in the escalating hostilities in Iran and the toll continuing to rise, parents described themselves as “devastated” and living in constant fear for the safety of their children.
In a collective appeal, parents of students studying in Iran said they appreciated the efforts of the Indian Embassy in Tehran for relocating several students from the capital to safer locations. However, they said those stuck in Urmia were “extremely frightened” after fresh explosions, including one reportedly near their dormitory.
“We highly appreciate the efforts of the Indian Embassy in Tehran for relocating students from Tehran. But the students stuck in Urmia are frightened due to huge explosions today, one very near to their dorm. They are extremely scared and mentally upset,” the parents said in a statement. They urged the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to relocate or evacuate the students towards the Armenian or Azerbaijan border to ensure their safety.
An explosion about 300 metres from their dormitory left students shaken, according to Labeeb Qadri, a final-year MBBS student at Urmia University of Medical Sciences. “The situation has not been good at all for the last few days. Here in Urmia, attacks are taking place continuously. About one hour ago, an explosion happened just 300 metres from our dormitory,” he said over the phone.
Another student, Musa Rauf, said the attack near the dorm left students frightened and mentally distressed. “We urge the embassy to rescue us as soon as possible, by any means necessary. The situation has escalated quite rapidly,” he said, adding that limited flight availability prevented many from leaving earlier.
An estimated 3,000 Indian students were in Iran, including around 2,000 from Kashmir. Between 1,100 and 1,200 are believed to have remained in the country at the time tensions escalated. Many had returned home earlier amid unrest but travelled back to Iran to sit crucial examinations scheduled in March, including pre-internship exams mandatory for medical students.
Parents said persistent air strikes and internet disruptions have heightened anxiety, with some families unable to contact their children for days.
Bashir Ahmad Wani from Baramulla said his daughter, a medical student in Iran for the past four years, had her final examination scheduled for March 10 and had booked her return ticket for March 13. “She was due to return on the 13th, but the situation worsened. We spoke to her this morning. She was very worried, and so were we. We urge the Central Government to evacuate her and bring her back safely,” he said.
Another parent appealed directly to the Prime Minister and authorities, saying families were living in constant uncertainty. “It is very difficult for us. We do not know what each day will bring. We request the Government to move our children out of this war zone,” he said.
The Embassy of India in Tehran, in an advisory issued on March 3, stated that due to heightened risk perception in Tehran, most Indian students in the capital had been relocated to safer locations outside the city. Transportation, food and accommodation arrangements were made by the embassy.
The advisory said a small number of students who declined relocation remained in Tehran. Other Indian nationals in Iran were advised to remain indoors, avoid protest areas and stay in regular contact with the embassy.
The Jammu and Kashmir Students Association said students in Tehran had been shifted by buses to Qom under the supervision of Indian authorities, and that the Ministry of External Affairs was closely coordinating the process. Further evacuation plans were expected to depend on the reopening of airspace and the evolving security situation.
While acknowledging earlier evacuation efforts in June 2025, parents in the Valley said they were once again making a “humble request with folded hands” for immediate evacuation of their children from Iran before the situation deteriorates further.
