Indian students in peril

THE spike in the deaths of Indian or Indian-origin students in the US this year indicates that the Joe Biden administration is not doing enough to halt the alarming attacks. Earlier this week, Mohammed Abdul Arfath, a 25-year-old student from Hyderabad, was found dead in Cleveland; he had been missing since last month. His family had received a ransom call on March 17. It is unfortunate that the student could not be rescued, even though the Indian consulate had claimed that it was working with local law enforcement agencies to find him. The death of an Indian student, Uma Satya Sai Gadde, was reported in Ohio last week, while a trained classical dancer, Amarnath Ghosh, was shot dead in St Louis, Missouri, in March.

A succession of unnatural deaths in January-February had prompted White House communications officer John Kirby to assert that there was no excuse for violence based on race, gender, religion or any other factor. In a bid to reassure the Indian diaspora, he had said that the Biden administration was working ‘very, very hard’ to try to thwart the attacks. US Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti had said that his government was ‘very committed’ to making Indians realise that America was a safe and wonderful place to study. However, the situation on the ground seems to be worsening.

The US-based Foundation for India and Indian Diaspora Studies has identified the main causes of these incidents, which include violent crimes, suspicious accidents and mental issues triggering suicide. It has urged the authorities to raise awareness about various risks and provide mental health support. There is speculation that negative propaganda against the community is fuelling hate crime. With Indians accounting for about 25 per cent of the foreign students in the US, it is imperative for America to prioritise their safety and crack down on the hate-mongers. The prevailing laxity can damage America’s reputation as a popular destination for Indian students.