After being rescued from war-torn Iran under Operation Sindhu, several students from Jammu and Kashmir found themselves facing another ordeal—not in a conflict zone, but back home in India. Upon landing at Delhi Airport, students were shocked to find poor-quality buses arranged for their onward journey to Srinagar, raising serious questions about planning and safety.

“Even animals couldn’t travel in these buses”

According to students, they were transported from Iran to Armenia by road, flown to Doha, and finally reached Delhi after a 4-day journey. However, they were met with old, dilapidated buses, unfit for a 700-kilometer journey through the hills of North India. One student said,

“These buses were in such poor condition that even animals couldn’t travel in them. We've been standing here at the airport since 4 AM with no food, no rest, and no officials to receive us.”

CM Omar Abdullah responds

As outrage grew on social media, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah took swift notice. In a post on ‘X’, he acknowledged the students’ grievances and confirmed that instructions have been issued to the concerned officials to rectify the situation immediately.

“The matter has come to my attention. I've asked the administration to ensure safe and comfortable transport for all the students,” wrote the CM.

Students thank Centre, but question state’s coordination

While the students expressed gratitude to the central government for safely evacuating them from a conflict zone, they were clearly disappointed by the state administration’s lack of preparedness.

“We’re thankful to the Centre for bringing us back safely from Iran. But this mismanagement in Delhi was unexpected,” said another student.

What went wrong?

According to reports, there was no coordination at Delhi Airport, and the buses lacked basic safety and hygiene. After days of travel, the students had hoped for a comfortable journey back home. Many of them questioned why, after such a well-coordinated international rescue, domestic logistics failed so miserably.

Bottom Line:
India’s swift evacuation from Iran was commendable, but the lack of proper facilities for returning students in the national capital exposed serious gaps in state-level disaster response. With the CM now involved, students and their families are hoping for a safer and more dignified journey home.