Joe Biden, administration working 'very hard' to stop attacks against Indian students: White House

US President Joe Biden and the administration are working hard to prevent attacks against Indian and Indian-American students, the White House said on Friday. John Kirby, Coordinator for Strategic Communications at the National Security Council in the White House, said there was no excuse for violence. 

His comments came in the wake of a spate of attacks on Indian and Indian-American students in the States. Deaths of at least four students have been reported in the last several weeks. 

When asked about the series of attacks on Indian and Indian-American students, Kirby told reporters: "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."

"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," he further said. 

Last month, a 25-year-old Indian student Vivek Saini, who worked part-time at a department store, died after he was hammered by a homeless drug addict in Georgia.

In February, Syed Mazahir Ali, who studied at the Indiana Wesleyan University, was assaulted. This month, Shreyas Reddy Benigeri of Lindner School of Business in Cincinnati was found dead in Ohio. 

In January, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign's Akul Dhawan and Purdue University's Neel Acharya were found dead apparently due to heavy drinking after long exposure to low temperatures at night. 

Indian-American community leader Ajay Jain Bhutoria said the tragic deaths of students in separate incidents deeply troubled him. He also said there is an urgent need for enhanced safety measures and support systems for those 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 was quoted as saying by news agency PTI. 

He also asserted that college authorities and local police must address these challenges promptly. 

Mohan Nannapaneni, founder of volunteer-based nonprofit organisation TEAM Aid, said his organisation is dealing with at least one tragic case a day, while underscoring the need to create awareness among immigrants from India to ensure their safety. 

He also said there have been instances of Indian students passing away due to car accidents and drowning besides drug abuse and overdose. Nannapaneni added that a lot of young students are also committing suicide for several reasons. 

He noted parents spend a huge amount of money to send their children abroad but a lack of employment opportunities proves stressful for students, some of whom take extreme steps like suicide. 

(With inputs from PTI)

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