Nodal officer appointed to help Indian students stranded at Kazakhstan airport

New Delhi: The Indian Embassy in Kazakhstan on Wednesday appointed a nodal officer to assist Indian students reportedly stranded at the Almaty airport for the past two to three days without food and medical aid due to travel restrictions on account of the coronavirus pandemic.

 "All Indian students in Kazakhstan (outside of Almaty) who arrived in Almaty to take a flight to India but were not able to leave and require boarding, lodging, food, medicine etc. may contact Martin Cyriac Clemense, Second Secretary and Officer in Charge," the Indian Embassy said in an "important" announcement.

According to news agency reports, the development came hours after the Delhi High Court asked the authorities to expeditiously provide the students basic amenities and assistance with regard to food, medical care, lodging and transportation. The court was informed that several Indian students, who are enrolled for higher studies, including MBBS, at Semey Medical University in Kazakhstan are stranded at the Almaty Airport without food, water, transportation and medical aid.

A bench of justices Siddharth Mridul and Talwant Singh, which conducted the hearing through video conferencing, directed the nodal officer to expeditiously facilitate, secure and provide these students with all basic amenities and humanitarian assistance.