New Delhi/Kota, Feb 26 (IANS): Lok Sabha Speaker, Om Birla has started a helpline for Indian students trapped in Ukraine and is being operated from his residence office in New Delhi and Camp office in Kota-Bundi parliamentary constituency.

Till now more than 100 students and parents from 15 states have contacted this helpline started on Friday.

Many Indian students are stranded due to the closure of airspace after the outbreak of war in Ukraine.

Students from states like Rajasthan, West Bengal, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Haryana, Punjab, Bihar etc. have contacted this helpline till Friday evening.

Information about students and their parents on the helpline has been collected and made available to the Union Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). At the same time, students and parents are being informed through WhatsApp and phone calls about whatever information is being released from the MEA and the Indian embassy in Ukraine.

Apart from this, an appeal is also being made to the students to maintain restraint and patience, take shelter in safe places till help arrives and help each other through the helpline.

For these students, who are to be helped through the Indian embassy, Birla has started this helpline. This is a 24-hour helpline which can be contacted on 011-23014011 and 23014022 in New Delhi and 0744-2505555 and 9414037200 in Kota Camp office.