United States President Joe Biden, along with his administration, have been working very hard to stop the attacks on Indian and Indian American students, said the White House.
Coordinator for Strategic Communications at the National Security Council in the White House John Kirby made the announcement in the wake of numerous attacks on Indian-origin students in various parts of the country.
“There is no excuse for violence, certainly based on race or gender or religion or any other factor. That’s just unacceptable here in the United States,” said Kirby, while speaking to the reporters when asked about the multiple attacks on Indian-origin students.
“The president and this administration have been working very, very hard to make sure we’re doing everything we can to work with state and local authorities to try to thwart and disrupt those kinds of attacks and make it clear to anybody who might consider them that they’ll be held properly accountable,” said Kirby.
Indian-origin students under attack in the US?
Five Indian-origin students have till now been reported dead in the United States this year.
Indian-American student Sameer Kamath from Purdue University was found dead in a nature preserve.
Another 19-year-old student, Shreyas Reddy Beniger, who held an American passport, was found dead last week. The authorities ruled out any foul play.
Neel Acharya, another student of Purdue University, was found dead on the campus, hours after he was reported missing by his mother.
A 25-year-old student, Vivek Saini from Haryana, was hammered to death in Georgia’s Lithonia by a homeless man on January 16.
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Another Indian student, Akul Dhawan, was found dead outside the campus of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in January.
Speaking about the issue, Indian American community leader Ajay Jain Bhutoria said that he was troubled by the news of the deaths of these students and emphasised the need for enhanced safety measures for those people who are pursuing education in the US.
“These incidents understandably worry parents and families in India, and their concerns are shared. It’s crucial to address safety issues to ensure the well-being of Indian students studying in the USA,” he said, further stating that the Indian American community has united in the call for improved support systems and safety measures.
(With inputs from agencies)