Two Indian students stabbed to death in Ukraine
Two Indian medical students were stabbed to death while another sustained injury in an attack at the Uzhgorod Medical College in Ukraine. The deceased were identified as Pranav Shandilya from Muzaffarnagar and Ankur Singh from Ghaziabad, and the third was identified as Inderjeet Singh Chauhan from Agra, who was in hospital. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj tweeted that she felt sorry about the incident.
Ukraine is a European multi-ethnic and multicultural nation, where racism and ethnic discrimination are possibly the biggest radical issues. Recorded incidents of violence show that the victims are subject to bias-motivated violence, which is strongly condemned by the media and leaders but, there is no noticeable decline in the numbers. According to Human Rights Watch, racism and xenophobia remain long-established problems in Ukraine.
During 2006-2009, a total of 224 racial violence incidents and 12 racially-motivated attacks were recorded in Ukraine. Alexander Feldman, president of the Association of National and Cultural Unions (Ukraine), said that most of the victims of racial violence don't report to police. He added that even police fail to classify such attacks as 'racially-motivated' and instead represent them as domestic offence or hooliganism.
During a football match at the Metalist Stadium in Kharkiv, between Metalist Kharkiv and Shakhtar Donetsk, a group of Ukrainians had attacked five Indians. In footage captured by BBC's Panorama, the Ukrainians had spotted Indians, who were watching the game from the family stand, and charged towards them. Despite supporting the same team, the Ukrainians had brutally punched and kicked the Indians causing injuries.
The victims stated that they go to games but, arrive late and leave early to avoid racial attacks. Following the attack, officials warned Asians and Afro-Caribbean to take extra care during Euro 2012 games in Ukraine.
The deceased, Pranav Shaindilya was a third-year student, and Ankur Singh was a fourth-year student at the medical college.
Police have apprehended three Ukraine nationals in connection with the crime based on Chauhan's statement. Vikas Swarup, MEA spokesperson, stated that passports and documents of the Indian students and a blood-stained knife were recovered from the three suspects who were trying to cross the Ukrainian border. Swaraj said that the Indian embassy was in contact with the concerned authorities and was monitoring the case.
The officials of the Kiev Indian Embassy were taking necessary actions to complete all the formalities for sending the dead bodies to India at the earliest. The Embassy officials had spoken to the families of the deceased and informed about the unfortunate event. Officials stated that they were taking the matter related to the safety of Indian students to the Foreign Office of Ukraine.
