994 pupils of Magadh division arrive at Gaya

GAYA: Altogether 994 stranded medical and engineering aspirants, who were stuck up in Kota (Rajasthan) for about six weeks, arrived in Gaya by a special train that arrived on Monday noon.
One of the returnees, having mild temperature has been put in an isolation ward located in Bodh Gaya. Confirming the shifting of one student, district magistrate Abhishek Singh said that all others have been put under home quarantine.Warning home quarantined students against any violation of the written undertaking given by them to strictly follow the conditions, the DM said that strict action would be taken in case students are found violating the norms. The DM also hinted at surprise checks to monitor the quarantined students.
Much to the disappointment of apparently distraught returnees, their parents and guardians were not there to give the warm hug and clean their misty eyes. Nevertheless, the boys and girls were happy as the long ordeal had finally come to an end. Kota was their gate way for medical and engineering career dream which they had to abandon midway.
The students who returned today are from the five districts of Magadh division. Maximum of them are from Gaya followed by Nawada and Aurangabad districts with 259 and 241 students respectively.
Apparently in a hurry to get back to home, the returnees had to complete formalities like thermal scanning to record body temperature, visible stamping proclaiming their new quarantine status and a declaration committing themselves to adhere to the quarantine protocol.
From the station, they boarded block-wise ear marked buses to take them to their respective block headquarters where they will be picked up by their parents/guardians. “It is a mixed feeling. For the last several days we had little to eat except Maggi to survive. I am now desperately looking for home food,” said Pankaj of Barachatti.
“Happy to be home but not happy at the shabby treatment and the somewhat unwanted tag given by the government,” said one of the returnees preferring anonymity.
“We fail to understand why we were made to suffer that long. After all we travelled during the lockdown. The same arrangement could have been made earlier to prevent the untold agony of the last several weeks,” said another student.
Asked whether more special trains carrying students/migrant workers would be reaching Gaya, station manager KK Tripathi said that he has no information in this regard.