Shot five times while trying to flee Ukraine, 33-year-old Harjot finally returns to India

Family members say they were on tenterhooks for five days that they hadn’t heard from him

The period between February 26 and March 2, when the parents of Harjot Singh hadn’t from their son stranded in Ukraine, was the most difficult time in the lives of 67-year-old Kesar Singh and 58-year-old Prakash Kaur. 

Their 33-year-old son, who was shot multiple times as he was trying to escape the war-torn country, finally reached Delhi on a stretcher on Monday morning. “After reaching the hospital, he asked the doctor if he’ll be able to walk in five-six months because he wants to go back to Ukraine,” Mr. Kesar told The Hindu at his residence in Chhattarpur. Harjot, who was shot at least five times, is currently undergoing treatment at a city hospital where his recovery could take weeks, doctors have told the family. 

Mr. Kesar said that he and other family members told Harjot to return to India around February 15, as the war began looming over Ukraine, where Harjot had gone in July 2021, after leaving his well-paying job in Gurugram, to study a language course.

“When we asked him to come back, he said he has spoken to locals who told him that the situation was not going to escalate… it’s like our India-Pakistan relationship where there are always tensions but no real war… he kept consoling us,” Mr. Kesar said. 

On February 24, Harjot went to a mall close to his accommodation and bought groceries for the next 10 days, the family said. “He video-called us and said that he was buying groceries in case they aren’t able to step out of the house,” Mr. Kesar added.

Ms. Prakash said that around 9:30 p.m. on February 26, she and her husband received a call from Harjot informing them that he was leaving for the border. He told them that he would give them a call upon reaching his destination. 

“We didn’t get a call that night. And while we were worried for his safe arrival, we really started panicking on the morning of February 27 when there was still no word from him,” Ms. Prakash said.