The Supreme Court on Thursday instructed Attorney General K K Venugopal to look into a petition alleging that some Indian students attempting to flee Ukraine are stranded at the Romanian border, unable to cross, and to see if they can be rescued.

The case file should be sent to the AG via a special messenger, according to a bench led by Chief Justice of India N V Ramana. According to Justice Ramana, there are many students in Ukraine, and “some have come… Please make excellent use of your good offices… AG will receive a copy through special messenger. Check to see if you can assist.’

Senior Advocate A M Dar, representing the petitioner, informed the bench, which also included Justices A S Bopanna and Hima Kohli, that his client, a student from Odesa, Ukraine, is stranded in Moldova. Many other students, according to Das, are also stranded in sub-zero weather without food or money.

The Attorney General responded by telling the court that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has spoken to the Presidents of Russia and Ukraine. According to Venugopal, the administration has also dispatched a minister to Romania to ensure that individuals who cross the border from Ukraine are evacuated. ‘So what I’m curious about is whether they’re being prevented from crossing?’ he enquired.

They were being halted, according to the lawyer, and hence were unable to go over.

‘

This is perplexing. In terms of Ukraine, they let anyone to pass into neighbouring nations,’ said the AG, adding that he will investigate the case.

The government has initiated Operation Ganga, a specific evacuation strategy to repatriate Indian nationals back from Ukraine via neighbouring nations. Officials have claimed that thousands of people have been evacuated and that more will be brought back.