Cheppad (Alappuzha): The world is going through uncertain times. Pandemic, war, natural calamities and acts of terror have turned life upside down. The plight of a couple from Kerala is testimony to the extreme ways in which life goes topsy turvy in this unsettling epoch.
The unfortunate Malayali duo belongs to Padeetathil House at Cheppad village, near Haripad, in Alappuzha district.
The couple Akhil Raghu (25) and Jithina (23) are currently in two different corners of the world. Akhil is being held by the Army of Yemen. He was recently rescued from a cargo ship hijacked by the Houthi rebels whose insurgency has plunged the country into a disastrous civil war.
As if the family's troubles were not enough, Jithina is now holed up in a bomb shelter in Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine which is struggling to fend off invasion by the Russian military.
Jithina had arrived in Ukraine to study medicine like thousands of students from overseas.
It is feared Kyiv is likely to fall to Russia soon. The invading forces have already entered Kyiv. Latest reports say the capital city is witnessing intense fighting. As Kyiv came under air strikes over the last two days several residents have taken refuge in bunkers and metro stations. Many had fled the city in vehicles as soon as the news of Russsian invasion which commenced early on Thursday broke.
Jithina and 5 other students are now stay put in a bomb shelter near the university. The six include four Keralites and two from Tamil Nadu. They shared video which revealed the distress.
We will run short of water and food soon, they said in the video.
Jithina conveyed to her father the plan to avail of the airlift India has annnounced. She intends to reach Poland by road and from there she hopes to catch a flight to India.
The year itself began badly for the couple as Akhil's ship was seized by the Houthis on January 4.
All the 16 crew were rescued by the Yemeni Army after a week. Since then they are being held by the Army. It is not known why the delay in letting them free.
