Indian students stranded in United Kingdom due to coronavirus travel ban urge PM Modi for rescue flight

London, Mar 29: Hundreds of Indian students stranded in the UK have appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to organise a rescue flight amid the ongoing travel ban enforced by India to control the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.

A group of at least 380 students from India has started a data chain with their passport details to create a collective voice to lobby the Indian government for action. Among them is a group of marine engineers from Kerala enrolled at the South Tyneside College in Tyne and Wear in north-east England, who were due to fly back to India after giving their management level exams this week.

"Our exams were supposed to happen on 23rd and 24th of March, but got cancelled on the 23rd after getting the question paper at the exam centre, by which time India's travel ban was in place," said Akhil Dharmaraj, First Engineer with NYK Ship Management who would be promoted to Chief Engineer once he clears his UK exams.