391 students who arrived from Kota quarantined at Sarusajai centre

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: After a journey of over 1,900 kilometres, the 391 students from Assam who were stranded in Rajasthan’s Kota returned to Guwahati, on Monday.

According to Assam Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, the students will remain under quarantine to ensure safety.

After reaching, the students were examined at Sarusajai quarantine centre. The boys have been kept at the Sarusajai quarantine centre and the girls in three city-based hotels. The police team which escorted the students from Kota has also been kept under quarantine at a hotel.

The students were received by Himanta Biswa Sarma and Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Pijush Hazarika at around 3 am.

Quarantine has been made mandatory as the students are coming from Rajasthan which has been categorised a COVID-19 red zone, said Sarma.

“Tests will be conducted on the students on Tuesday and doctors will decide whether those testing negative can be discharged after 5 days, 14 days or 28 days. The District Admin of Kota informed that they have found 11 COVID positive cases from the area where the students were residing. Thus, we cannot take any chances”, Sarma added.

A police personnel who travelled along the students during the journey stated, “It was a unique experience in our professional life. The team was in constant touch with each other through a Whatsapp group. The students were very cooperative and their dinner was arranged inside the bus. During the day time the students had their food in several government designated spots.”

“We all are very thankful to the Assam Government for bringing us back home. The journey was very safe and the police personnel who accompanied us were very friendly. We didn’t face any problem during the journey,” said a student.

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