'Lights Off, Locked Up In Rooms': Indian Students Narrate Ordeal Amid Violence in Kyrgyzstan

Violence in Bishkek: In the wake of the violence targeting foreign students, most of the students are locked up in their rooms and many are desperate to return to their homes.

Violence in Bishkek: Amid the violence in Kyrgyzstan's capital, Bishkek, Indian students have shared chilling details pertaining to the situation in the country. This comes days after the Indian embassy in Kyrgyzstan asked its students in Bishkek to stay indoors. In the wake of the violence targeting foreign students, most of the students are locked up in their rooms, and many are desperate to return to their homes.

There are approximately 10,000 Indian students in Kyrgyzstan pursuing medical studies. On Friday, a second-year MBBS student from Maharashtra's Beed said that a hostel came under attack during the night,, as reported by Times of India. The hostel was 2.5 kilometres from his place, the student said. Speaking to TOI, he said, "Video clips are circulated, triggering panic."

A third-year MBBS student from the same college hailing from Madhya Pradesh's Indore said that the students have kept off the lights for over 24 hours, and the food is being delivered in the hostel as they are instructed to stay indoors. "it's been over 24 hours that we have kept off the lights in our hostels". Many of us could not even go to the canteen for breakfast. The college administration is delivering food in the hostel. We have been instructed to stay indoors," TOI quoted the Indore student as saying. Wishing to return back home to India, the Indore student said that if there is no improvement in the situation, the students will starve.

"If the situation does not improve soon, they will starve. Students are scared of travelling to college from the hostels after one of them was attacked by a taxi driver. We want to return to India," the Indore student said, as quoted by TOI.

The violence, which reportedly started after a skirmish between some local and Egyptian students, does not seem to die down soon. According to TOI, fresh messages were being circulated by locals on Saturday to mobilise crowds to target foreign students. Students from India and Pakistan have borne the brunt of the attacks. "The attackers are just going by the colour of the skin," a student from Delhi said, as quoted by the TOI report.

Insiya Hussain, a second-year MBBS student at Osh, 350km from Bishkek, spoke of harrowing moments. "Our semester exam scheduled for Saturday was postponed," TOI quoted Hussain as saying.

A student from Telangana's Nalgonda stated that she, along with others, had shifted to the university hostel from their private accommodation in Bishkek, 30km away. "Though there is security in the university, we are in fear because of hate-mongering in Bishkek," she told TOI over the phone. The Indian Embassy in Kyrgyzstan advised students to stay indoors and call the 24x7 helpline at 0555710041.

Last week, India asked its students in Bishkek to stay indoors after the Kyrgyz capital city reported mob violence targeting international students, especially from South Asia. The Indian embassy in the Central Asian country said it is in touch with the Indian students and the situation is "calm" now. The mission asked Indian students in the city to stay indoors.