Indians asked to seek help from local authorities after Bishkek violence; many Pak students return home

Officials from the Hingoli administration in Maharashtra have asked parents of students studying in Kyrgyzstan, where violence has erupted, to reach out to the district disaster management office for assistance. According to a release from the Hingoli district administration on Tuesday (May 21), nearly 500 students from Maharashtra are currently pursuing medical education in Kyrgyzstan, and may encounter challenges due to the ongoing violence. Following reports of mob violence directed at international students, particularly from South Asia, in Bishkek, the Indian government advised its students to remain indoors as a precautionary measure. According to the release, the Hingoli administration has requested parents of students studying in Kyrgyzstan to reach out to the district disaster management office to report any issues they may be experiencing. Additionally, the local administration in Kyrgyzstan has opted to conduct the examination of these students online. The students may have to go back to India next month, the release said. Also watch | Pakistan's Ishaq Dar arrives in Kyrgyzstan's capital Bishkek, Dar raises concerns over mob attack

“The administration said there appears to be a threat to international students and they must refrain from leaving the premises of their hostels. But then we saw on TikTok that a large group of locals was gathering and marching towards our hostel,” a Pakistani student pursuing a medical degree in Bishkek told Al Jazeera.

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In Kyrgyzstan, over 11,000 Pakistani students and 15,000 Indian students are enrolled in medical degree programmes. The appeal lies in the combination of relatively high educational standards maintained at Soviet-era medical colleges and tuition fees that are lower than those of many Western countries and even their respective home countries. Medical colleges in Kyrgyzstan also attract students from various Arab and African nations.

(With inputs from agencies)