Situation in Bishkek normal, no untoward incident in past few days: Indian embassy in Kyrgyzstan

NEW DELHI: The situation in Bishkek has returned to normal and there are no restrictions on movement of people or transport, said the Embassy of India in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan after the recent incidents of violence against international students. The embassy urged Indian students and their families not to pay heed to the rumors being spread by ‘mischievous elements’.

The Indian embassy in Bishkek directed all Indian students studying in Bishkek to contact their respective universities about the formalities required for the completion of their exams before traveling back to India for summer vacation, as the academic year is about to end.

“In case any assistance is needed, the students are requested to contact the Embassy of India in Bishkek. The Embassy remains committed to ensuring the well-being of the Indian student community,” it added.

The embassy informed students that the air connectivity between Bishkek and Delhi is operational and flights to India can also be availed via Almaty, Dubai, Istanbul, Sharjah and Tashkent. The local transport to Manas International Airport in Bishkek is also available for Indian students.

The Indian embassy in the foreign city expressed concern at the recent incidents of violence against students but gave assurance that no such incident has been reported in the past few days due to ‘swift action’ taken by the Kyrgyzstan authorities. However, classes are being conducted online as a precautionary measure, it said.

Indian students in Kyrgyzstan

Currently, 17,000 Indian students are pursuing higher studies in the country. “Every year a large number of Indian students join medical and other universities in the Kyrgyz Republic for further studies. At the moment, about 17,000 Indian students are in the Kyrgyz Republic spread across many cities but most of them are in Bishkek,” an official statement from the embassy read.

The embassy further informed that it has been working actively with the universities and senior government functionaries to address the concerns of the Indian students. “Two helplines 0555710041 and 0555005538 have been functional 24x7 where students can continue to reach out to the Embassy for all kinds of assistance,” it continued.

As per the embassy’s statement, the Indian ambassador visited the Jalal-Abad State University on May 18 and the International Higher School of Medicine in Bishkek on May 22 and interacted with the Indian students there. Embassy officials visited the International Medical University and the Eurasian Medical University on May 21, 2024 and to the Royal Metropolitan University and to the Avicenna University today to continue this interaction with the students and to address their concerns.