COVID 19 : Delhi HC Issues Notice In Plea Seeking Evacuation Of Students Stuck In Iran Due To Coronavirus Outbreak

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday issued notice in a plea seeking evacuation of students from Iran, in light of the outbreak of Coronavirus in the country.

The Single Bench of Justice IS Mehta has issued notice to the central government and will next take up the matter on March 11.

The petition filed by Fozia Rahman, social justice lawyer,  seeks court's direction to the Ministry of External Affairs to provide special flight/aeroplane /ship/cruise to take the students stranded in Iran to India.

It is highlighted that certain Universities in Iran - TUMS, Shiraz, Tehran, Amirkabir - have been shut down due to the outbreak of coronavirus.

Many Indian students from Kashmir, who have been studying in these Universities, have been left stranded as there are no flights which are going from Iran to India.

'Several cases of infection has been detected in past few days fearing major outbreak the University has decided to close down the colleges and the hostel facilities and cancelled the exams thus students have been advised to proceed to their respective countries. The students have been trying to find a mode to travel back to India to save their lives in this extreme hazardous situation. The students are however shocked and surprised to know that no flights are going from Iran to India. The students are left with no means to come back to their country and unite with their families.', the petition says.

It is also mentioned that the students tried seeking help from the Indian embassy in Iran, but they could not receive any relief.

The petition has cited the plight of these students as a violation of their Right to Life and Liberty.

It is further submitted that Ministry of External Affairs and Ministry of Civil Aviation had made arrangements of special flights and safely evacuated several students who are Indian Citizens from different countries like China, Japan and Italy.

Since these students have no other means to get back their country and safety, the present petition has sought court's intervention to ask Ministry of External Affairs to evacuate these students.