East Singbhum district administration on Friday announced three helpline numbers for local residents stranded in Ukraine in the wake of increasing reports through different social media platforms of resdients of Jharkhand caught up in the war-torn country.

Uncertainty gripped Ukraine and scores of those living in this eastern European country after Russian attacked it on Thursday following an all out military operations.

The Jharkhand government announced the following helpline numbers late on Friday night for the benefit of those stranded in Ukraine: 0651-2481055/ 2480058/ 2480083/ 2482052/ 2481037/ 2481188 9470132591 9431336426 9431336398 9431336472 9431336432

In an official communiqué, East Singbhum DC Suraj Kumar notified three numbers — 8987510050, 06572440111/2221717 — asking kin of all those who are stuck in Ukraine to furnish details of their near and dear ones with proper coordinates in order to coordinate proper help through ministry of external affairs (MEA) and other channels.

A respondent at 8987510050 in the evening speaking over phone said that he received two calls till 6 pm. “We received information about two persons from Govindpur and Sonari area who are in Ukraine’s Kyiv,” he said.

At the state level, the Hemant Soren government is yet to announce a centralised helpline number, like the one which was set up amid the migrant crisis during the first wave of Covid-19, even as many stranded from different districts are sending SoS back home through social media.

Sources in the state disaster management department said that officially the state doesn’t have a composite figure of all those who are stranded but said that it could at least be 100.

“We haven’t got any formal list or communiqué from MEA or Ukraine Embassy about Jharkhand people, but we are getting reports about those stranded through different channels. State government is keeping vigil over the situation and soon, state level helpline may be planned,” said a senior official, unwilling to be named.

As Jharkhand assembly’s budget session began on Friday, the Ukraine crisis even resonated during the proceedings on day one. Poriyahat MLA of Congress, Pradeep Yadav demanded Hemant Soren government to immediately develop contact with the union government to ensure safe evacuation of residents of this state or proper rehabilitation.

Mahagama MLA Dipika Pandey Singh on the other hand, said that she had met CM last night with details of half a dozen students from her constituency who are pursuing medicine in different parts of Ukraine. “Many couldn’t come as airspace is closed while others had tickets for February end but are now stuck due to the conflict,” she said.

Kin of many stranded said they had a sleepless night on day one of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Khustar Hasnain, brother of one Md Danish, who is stranded in Vinnytsia said, “None of us at home could sleep all night yesterday. While some were hooked to TV to watch latest developments, others were busy praying for safe return of Danish. Our elderly mother was only crying all night.”

He added that they heaved some sigh of relief when they received a video call early morning today from Danish for brief period. “He said they are living in a bunker in their apartment. He was very terrified recalling about the sounds of bombs and siren,” maintained Hasnain, adding that from Mahagama alone, six students are stranded in Ukraine.