Contact Indian students stranded in Iran due to coronavirus outbreak: Delhi HC to Centre

The Delhi High Court directed the Centre on Thursday to ensure that the Indian embassy in Iran gets in touch with the Indian students stranded there in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, instead of "merely issuing advisories", and to assure them of all assistance.

Justice Navin Chawla asked the central government to "do a little more" than what it has been doing till now to evacuate over 3,000 Indian nationals, including pilgrims, fishermen and students, presently stranded in Iran.

Central government standing counsel Anurag Ahluwalia, representing the ministries of home, external affairs, health and aviation, told the court that mass evacuation was presently not possible as firstly, Iran has banned all commercial flights with India from February 26 onwards and secondly, those stranded there have to be tested for the coronavirus before they can be brought back.

Ahluwalia said there was no local support on the ground from Iranian authorities and it took several rounds of negotiations before they allowed Indian scientists to set up a lab there to take samples from Indian citizens and allowed an Indian Air Force plane to evacuate 58 nationals, including 25 women and 2 children.

He said the embassy there was in contact with Indian nationals presently in that country and advisories have been issued to them on following the health protocols issued by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

The government counsel also said embassy officials were travelling to all the locations where Indians were stranded to assure them of all possible assistance for their safe and early return.

The court, however, said, "Merely issuing advisories was not going to help. That is no assurance. You know where the students are. You have to contact them. Not doing so will not be tolerated. Get in touch with them and give a report by Tuesday (March 17)."