In one of the violent attacks, a statement issued by the Indian Embassy in Moscow claimed that four Indian students were among some people who were injured in a university hostel located in the Russian city of Ufa. It happened in a sports hall at the hostel of foreign students of the State Medical University in the Bashkortostan Republic and was immediately met by the reaction of both the Russian authorities and the Indian diplomatic representatives.
The Indian Embassy verified the injuries via the post on the social media platform X, saying that it was in contact with the local authorities. The representatives of the Indian Consulate in Kazan were also sent to Ufa to help the wounded students and organize their support. Although the severity of the injuries was not revealed by the embassy, it termed the incident as unfortunate and promised to provide all the required assistance.
According to local Russian media, the. incident was a stabbing that injured a number of people at the hostel premises. Besides the students, two police officers were also injured in the process of arresting the suspect. The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia stated later that the attacker did not give in and stabbed the officers in the process of arrest. The suspect is also said to have injured himself during the process.
The preliminary information about the attacker provided by the Indian news agency PTI states that it was a teenager with a knife who entered the State Medical University campus and attacked several of the students. The spokesperson of the Interior Ministry of Russia, the Major General Irina Volk, reported that the law enforcement agencies acted swiftly to control the situation and eliminate the threat. A probe has been initiated to find out what the motive of the attack was.
There have been reports circulating on reliable Russian Telegram channels which are not confirmed but give the possibility of two attackers. These are reports that one of the suspects, a 15 year old, has been hospitalized and is in a serious condition. The police do not officially declare the second attacker.
The incident has brought international student fraternities in Russia, especially Indian students, to the fore, who constitute a large section of foreign student population in Russian based medical universities. Each year thousands of Indian students come to Russia seeking medical education because the tuition cost is relatively lower, and the degrees are recognized all over the world. Indian medical students were also a key destination to Ukraine before the Russia-Ukraine War.
Indian diplomatic missions in Russia are regularly checking the welfare of the Indian nationals and have reaffirmed their concern with regard to the safety of the students. The embassy has recommended students in the region to be aware and take advice given by the local authorities as investigations proceed.
The student body criticized the attack in harsh terms noting that Indian students go abroad with the dream of being a medical professional and help in improving the healthcare around the globe. Any violence, animosity or discrimination against them, it said, is not tolerated and it should be dealt with with force. AIMSA emphasized that the protection of students should be one of the priorities of the Indian government.
The association called on the government to take urgent action to get in touch with the Russian government so that they could be made accountable and justice served in the case. It also demanded stronger safety systems, improved system of student support and clarification to Indian students studying abroad. Also, AIMSA suggested the creation of specific emergency response channels that could be used by students who are threatened or discriminated.
Reasserting its belief in the Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a leader, AIMSA claimed that it was with the injured students and their relatives and urged the government to take immediate steps to ensure that such incidents are not repeated in future.
Speaking of serious concern about the incident, AIMSA reported the attack at Bashkir State Medical University caused a lot of alarm among Indian medical students studying in foreign countries. The organization highlighted that such incidents do not only threaten the physical health of the students, but also their sense of security and self esteem as they pursue an education that is not in their motherland.
The attack was heavily condemned by the student organization, which emphasized that Indian students leave the country with the purpose of becoming medical workers and contributing positively to the healthcare system in the world. They claimed that no form of violence, aggression or discrimination against them would be tolerated and this must be addressed ruthlessly. AIMSA emphasized that the Indian government should be concerned with the protection of students being their top priority.
The association appealed to the government to immediately meet the Russian officials to allow justice and accountability of this issue. It further demanded better safety measures, better support systems to the students and clear guidelines to the Indian students on studying overseas. Besides, AIMSA proposed the establishment of special emergency response departments to students who faced threats or discrimination. Restating its trust in the leadership of the Prime Minister, AIMSA demonstrated its support to the wounded students and their families as well as encourage the quick response to prevent the occurrence of the same incidents in future.