Rizwan Haider is among over 1,500 Indian students stranded in Iran amid Israeli airstrikes. His family says his hostel was destroyed in a bombing and pleads for urgent evacuation
NEW DELHI/GHAZIABAD – A young student from Ghaziabad, Rizwan Haider, is caught in the middle of the ferocious Israel and Iran conflict, and his family has made an emotional appeal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to bring their son back safely. Rizwan, who is in Tehran to study medicine, narrowly escaped death when the hostel he lived in was reduced to rubble in a recent Israeli bombing.
“My son had just stepped out to get food. Minutes later, the place where he was staying turned into broken stones. Allah saved him,” said Rizwan’s father, his voice choked with emotion. The family lives in Baheta Hajipur, a small locality in Ghaziabad’s Loni area.
Rizwan had earlier informed his parents about how conditions had become unbearable. Israeli attacks have been going on for days, and Iranian cities, including Tehran, have faced relentless bombardment. According to his father, Rizwan told the family over the phone that he had been without food for hours because the university’s kitchen and nearby shops had shut down.
“The situation was so bad that my son had no food for nearly a whole day,” said his mother. “When we spoke to him, he said he was scared to go outside. We had no choice but to tell him to find something to eat.”
It was during this desperate trip to find food that Rizwan escaped death. His father explained: “On Sunday, around 4 pm, he went out to a small eatery nearby. While he was there, Israeli warplanes bombed the area where his hostel was located. When he came back, he saw that everything was destroyed.”
Over 1,500 Indian students are believed to be stranded in Iran. Many of them are from small towns and cities in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Telangana. Families in India, especially among the Muslim community, are now living in fear and helplessness.
Rizwan’s father, who works as a mechanic, said: “We are poor people. My son is the first in the family to go abroad. We thought he would become a doctor and help others. But now we don’t know if he will even come back alive.”
He added, “Israel has attacked civilians. They are bombing homes, hospitals, hostels, and even schools. What did our children do wrong? Why are they suffering like this?”
The family has written letters and sent messages to local MPs and officials. They are now placing their hopes on the prime minister.
“We request Narendra Modi Sahab, please bring our children home. Politics can wait, but human lives cannot,” said Rizwan’s uncle. “What if Rizwan had stayed in the hostel that day? He would have died, and we would be left crying over his body.”
Muslim organisations in India have also demanded that the government take swift steps to bring students back.
Maulana Khalid Rashid Firangi Mahali, a senior Muslim cleric from Lucknow, said: “These are innocent students. They went to Iran to study, not to take part in a war. The Government of India must show responsibility and act now.”
He added, “When Ukrainians were brought home during the Russia-Ukraine war, our government took steps quickly. Why not now?”
The Jamaat-e-Islami Hind issued a statement calling for urgent action. “There are Indian Muslim students stuck in a war zone. The government must immediately begin evacuation, regardless of religious or political factors. This is a matter of humanity,” the statement said.
The latest attack that destroyed Rizwan’s hostel is being seen as part of Israel’s wider strikes on Iranian infrastructure. Iran has accused Israel of deliberately targeting civilian locations, including universities and residential areas. Israel, on the other hand, claims it is acting in “self-defence.”
International organisations have raised alarms. Human Rights Watch has called for an independent investigation into the bombings. A spokesperson from the group said, “If Israel has bombed a hostel for foreign students, it must be held accountable.”
The United Nations has so far issued only a general statement urging both sides to de-escalate. But the silence from major world powers has disappointed many.
Rizwan’s mother, who hasn’t slept in days, holds her phone close in case her son calls again.
“I just want to hear his voice once a day. That gives me strength. If something happens to him, I will not be able to live,” she said, weeping.
“My son is innocent. He had gone there to study medicine. Now he is running to save his life. What kind of world are we living in?”
She added, “When Israel bombs, they don’t care who is there. Muslim, Hindu, foreigner – everyone is dying.”
Several Muslim families with children in Iran are calling for immediate evacuation flights. They fear that if help doesn’t come soon, it might be too late.
Syed Imran, a social worker based in Delhi who is in touch with some of the stranded students, said: “The embassy must act fast. If we wait for things to calm down, we may be bringing back bodies instead of students.”
He said at least three students from Uttar Pradesh had contacted him recently, all expressing fear for their lives.
“The government should not ignore this because these students are mostly Muslim. A government is for all citizens. These are young Indian lives we are talking about,” he added.
Rizwan’s family says this is not about politics but about a young life.
“We are not asking for charity. We are citizens of this country. We want our son back alive,” said Rizwan’s father.
“We are Muslims, yes, but we are Indians first. If this is how Indian Muslims will be treated, then what hope do we have?”
He said the silence from political leaders, especially from Uttar Pradesh, was hurtful.
“Where are the leaders who come to our homes during elections? Now, when our children are dying, no one wants to speak?”
For now, the fate of Rizwan and over 1,500 other Indian students hangs in the balance. Every hour matters. Every phone call brings both hope and fear to families waiting in small homes across India.
