Indian students in Kyrgyzstan’s capital Bishkek are facing alarming situations following recent violence targeting foreigners in the region. Amidst escalating tensions, most students find themselves confined to their rooms, with institutes postponing exams and many desperate to return home. The majority of the estimated 10,000 Indian students in Kyrgyzstan are enrolled in medical courses.
Numerous students have shared chilling accounts of the unrest. A second-year MBBS student from Maharashtra’s Beed recounted an attack on a hostel just 2.5km away from his residence. “Video clips circulating have triggered panic,” he reported from Bishkek. Another student from Indore, a third-year MBBS student at the same college, expressed concerns about their safety, stating that they have been keeping the lights off in their hostels for over 24 hours. The college administration is providing food to the hostels, and students have been instructed to stay indoors.
The situation is particularly dire for students staying alone, facing the threat of starvation if conditions do not improve soon. Fearful of traveling to college from their hostels after a taxi driver attacked one of them, many are eager to return to India. Reports indicate that fresh messages are circulating, inciting crowds to target foreign students, with Indian and Pakistani students bearing the brunt of the attacks.
Insiya Hussain, a second-year MBBS student at Osh, 350km from Bishkek, described harrowing moments as the semester exam scheduled for Saturday was postponed. Insiya’s father, Amir Hussain, emphasized the importance of staying in constant communication to ensure his daughter does not feel alone.
Meanwhile, a student from Telangana’s Nalgonda, who had relocated to the university hostel from private accommodation in Bishkek due to security concerns, expressed fear amidst hate-mongering in the city. The Indian embassy in Kyrgyzstan has advised students to stay indoors and provided a 24X7 helpline (0555710041) for assistance.
As tensions continue to escalate, Indian students in Kyrgyzstan are grappling with uncertainty and apprehension, longing for a swift resolution to the unrest that has disrupted their academic pursuits and safety.
