Bhubaneswar, May 10: “We couldn’t sleep for two nights. Loud blasts kept shaking everything,” said Odia students who have returned home from Jammu after facing tense war-like conditions.
The students were caught in the middle of rising conflict after India launched Operation Sindoor in response to a terrorist attack in Pahalgam. The situation between India and Pakistan became very tense, affecting many people, including students from Odisha studying in Jammu and Kashmir.
Jitendra Prasad, a student from Sambalpur at Central Sanskrit University in Jammu, shared what he experienced:
“I had just finished dinner and was about to sleep when a loud explosion shook our hostel. The sky was full of fire and flashing lights. We saw fast-moving objects hitting each other in the sky with huge blasts. It was very scary. Suddenly, there was no mobile signal. Later we found out it was a missile and drone clash. A siren rang through the hostel. Our exams were cancelled, and we were told to return home immediately.”
Around 120 Odia students study at the university. After the conflict worsened, schools and colleges in Jammu and Kashmir were closed, and holidays were declared. The students started planning their journey back home.
Another student explained how they got back, “We contacted the Odisha government, the Special Relief Commissioner (SRC), and the Chief Secretary. They acted quickly and worked with local officials to help us reach Delhi. From there, we were divided into three groups and sent home by train. One group of 50 students has reached already, and the rest will arrive soon.”
Most of the students are from Sambalpur, Bhadrak, and Balasore districts.
Another student shared, “We were first taken to Pathankot from Jammu. There we came to know that there might be a possibility of drone attack. It was really frightening. I kept praying to Lord Jagannath. Thankfully, we reached home safely. We are very thankful to both the central and state governments.”
On the other hand, the Odisha government acted quickly to bring back all 114 Odia students from Jammu. A special team of officers was formed to handle their safe return. This was done with the help of the Odisha Resident Commissioner in New Delhi and the Odisha Parivar Directorate.
The team includes four senior officers and 16 support staff. Two helpline centers are working 24/7—one in New Delhi (Odisha Niwas) and one in Bhubaneswar (Sanskruti Bhawan)—to help students and their families.
If any student or parent needs help, they are advised not to panic and contact the helplines immediately.
Control Room Numbers:
Odisha Niwas, Delhi: 7428135044 / 011-24679201
Sanskruti Bhawan, Bhubaneswar: 0674-2431945 / 9583321964
