Rise in deaths of Indian students overseas a big concern for govt: Jaishankar

Bengaluru, Apr 15 (PTI) Amid a rise in violent attacks on Indian students in the US in which many have lost their lives, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Monday that such cases are unconnected but certainly a big concern for the government. According to him, some students were murdered over personal issues whereas others were victims of accidents. Speaking to reporters, Jaishankar responded to a question about the rise in the number of Indian students becoming victims of violent attacks in foreign countries, saying, “Obviously, in every case, wherever anything unfortunate has happened to the students, it is of great tragedy for the family, and a big concern for us but…our embassy or consulate has looked at every case and they’re actually unconnected.”

Embassies have been instructed to keep in touch with students and chat with them to warn them especially about dangerous areas of cities to avoid, he said, adding that there are 11 lakh to 12 lakh Indian students living in various countries. “Student welfare is very important. Like I said, every Indian going out, you have Modi’s guarantee. Student welfare is particularly important for us,” Jaishankar said.