Indian students who had rushed back home from Italy to be with their family members or take part in last rites of their loved ones at the peak of the second wave of Covid-19 are now stranded as air travel remains banned to the European country.

As the students witnessed a flashback similar to the brutal first wave of Covid-19 in Italy last year, many of them had rushed back home earlier in the year. While some managed to come home in time, few were late to meet the last-minute rush when Italy closed its international borders to India.

Those who returned to India before April 28, when air travel to and from the country was suspended, are now stuck, even though their peers back in Italy have gone back to their normal lives in universities.

Students from Italy shared experience about Covid-19

Zeeshan Ahmed, a cybersecurity student at Sapienza University of Rome, arrived in India when he got news of his sister being ill due to Covid-19. Ultimately his entire family got infected with the virus, including him. “It was mayhem. In fact, it was a repeat of what I saw in Italy last year that made me scramble even more when I got to know about my sister first. Then, everybody around was infected and news of losing loved ones and family became an everyday thing,” Ahmad told PTI.

“The second wave may have subsided but the nightmare for me is far from over. Italy has gone back to normal, but I am stuck here while universities function completely. I also had a part-time job there which I am continuing from here, but that will not be an option in few weeks because ultimately work is getting affected due to my absence,” he added.