Question : ATTACKS ON INDIANS WORKING ABROAD

(a) whether the Indian Nationals working abroad and their families including the staff of Missions/Posts have been attacked;

(b) if so, the details thereof during the last three years alongwith casualties as a result thereof; and (

(c) the steps taken by the Government in this regard?

MINISTER OF OVERSEAS INDIAN AFFAIRS (SHRI VAYALAR RAVI)

(a) & (b): Attacks on Indian nationals in Afghanistan, Australia, Bahrain, Cyprus, Germany, Hungary, Iran, Iraq, Latvia, Namibia, Nepal, Philippines, Poland, Russian Federation, Slovak Republic and Uganda have been reported. Details are given in the Annexure.

(c) Our Missions have remained in close contact with the local government and the security authorities with regard to safety and security of Indian nationals and their families.

Annexure referred to in answer to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 726 for answer on 21-11-2007

1. Afghanistan : In November 2005, a BRO personnel, Mr. M.R. Kutty was abducted and subsequently killed by Taliban militants. There have also been three attacks subsequently on the BRO personnel but no casualties.

In February 2006 Shri Kedoor Bharath Kumar, an Indian Engineer working with M/s. Louis Berger Group Inc. of Washington for an internationally funded road project in Afghanistan was killed in a remote controlled mine blast along with three other foreign nationals.

In April 2006, Shri K. Suryanarayana, An Indian Engineer working with a Bahrain based firm – Al Moyaed, was kidnapped and killed by militants.

The Indian Consulates in Kandahar, Jalalabad and Herat have been attacked by grenades several times during the last three years. There have also been attacks on the personnel working in different projects in Afghanistan undertaken by Indian companies. However, there have been no casualties.

2. Australia : Between May and October 2006, several cases of assault and robbery against Indian students were reported from Sydney and Adelaide wherein these students were robbed of their belongings and beaten up. One student was admitted to a hospital.  The number of such cases reported from Sydney and Adelaide are 12 and 14 respectively.   There have been no causalities in these assaults.

3. Bahrain : There have been a few instances of violent acts against Indian nationals as part of the overall law and order situation.  

4. Cyprus : Five cases of attacks on Indian Nationals were reported during the last three years in Limassol. There were no casualties.

5. Germany : Two incidents of attacks by neo-Nazis on Indian nationals occurred in Dresden in April 2007 and July 2007. On August 18, 2007 a group of Indian fair-goers was beaten up by a gang of Germans in Muegein, Saxony. There have been no casualties.

6. Hungary : An Indian tourist was beaten up by a group of local Hungarians who were in an inebriated condition.

7. Iran: In June 2005, two Indian nationals namely Mr. Ashok Kumar and Shri Ratan Lal were attacked at Shiraz. Mr. Ashok Kumar died on the spot and Shri Ratan Lal was seriously injured.

8. Iraq : 14 Indian nationals have got killed in indirect firing by insurgent groups.

9. Latvia : On 4th March 05 a person working in an Indian Restaurant in Riga was physically assaulted in a market place by some Latvian youths.

10. Namibia : Mrs Priya Gupta wife of Shri Pieyush Gupta, formerly Attache, High Commission of India was robbed at knife point by robbers on 26 January 05 while she was walking back to her house from a nearby clinic. She suffered minor injuries.

11. Nepal: In March 2006, General Manager of Ganga Udyog was attacked by unidentified criminals. In September 2006, some persons, Maoists reportedly entered Triveni spinning Mills, Bara and assaulted Indian labourers. In October 2006, commercial manager of Unilever Nepal was abducted from Heutada by suspected Maoists activist and was assaulted. In January 2007, Assistant Admn Officer of Universal College of Medical Sciences, Bhairahawa was attacked by some students of the college.saulted. In January 2007, an India citizen was shot at and injured by Nepalese security forces at Jogbani during the Terai unrest. In January 2007, one Indian national was murdered in Kathmandu by local criminals. In March, 2007, five students of Nepalgunj Medical College were attacked by Nepalese citizens in which one was seriously injured. In April 2007, a group of locals entered Medical College, Bharatpur and assaulted two doctors. In June 2007, one unidentified gunman shot and injured one Indian nation

12. Philippines: There have been occasional incidents of Indian nationals becoming victims of kidnap-for-ransom, and murder resulting in 8 deaths in 2004, 11 deaths in 2005 and 18 deaths in 2006.

13. Poland: Shri Harish Hitange, an Indian National, was kidnapped in April 2004 by some unknown person. The victim has not been traced as of date.

14. Russian Federation : Shri B. Mange Ram, Attache, Embassy of India, Moscow was assaulted on  December 23, 2006 by a group of 5 unknown persons, apparently under the influence of alcohol.

In September, 2007, at Tver, Russia, three Indian students studying in Tver Medical University) were attacked by a group of drunken Russian hooligans. While two students escaped, one student, Diwakar Verma suffered serious injuries and was in comatose condition for a month till he recovered enough to be transported back to India in a stable condition.
   In 2006 Mr. Anjangi Kishore Kumar Student of Mechnikova Medical Academy was stabbed by an unknown person. Mr. Kumar survived after medical treatment. Mr. Nitesh Kumar Singh, Student of Mechnikova Medical Academy was stabbed to death by unknown persons. Mr. Mohammad Farooq Natheer Hussein, Student of Mechnikova Medical Academy was attacked by unknown person resulting in bodily injuries.

15. Slovak Republic : In July, 2006 an Indian student was allegedly beaten up by a group of young people, apparently on racial grounds.

16. Uganda : There were incidents of attacks on Indian nationals during rioting in Kampala on 12 April 07. One Indian national, Shri Devangkumar Shaileshkumar Raval was killed during the incident. On 15 May 07, in Arua town, an Indian national, Shri Mahesh Reddy was attacked in connection with a land dispute.