Indian students in Italy attacked

Even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi hosted his Italian counterpart Paolo Gentiloni in New Delhi on Monday, Indian students at Milan in northern Italy were assaulted in a string of incidents.

The Consulate General of India in Milan on Monday issued an advisory to Indian students studying in the main city of Lombardy Region of Italy, asking them not to panic.

The advisory was issued after the CGI received reports about a series of assaults on Indian students studying in academic institutions in
Milan.

"The Consulate has received reports of unfortunate incidents of attacks on Indian students in Milan. All Indian students are urged not to panic. The Consulate is taking up this matter with the highest level of law and order authorities in Milan," the CGI said in the advisory posted on Twitter on Monday.

The CGI did not mention in its advisory if the attacks on Indian students appeared to be racially motivated.

Sources, however, said that preliminary reports received in New Delhi indicated that at least one of the attacks could be racially motivated as Indian students had purportedly been abused for the colour of their skin and had been asked by the assailants to return to their country.

One of the incidents took place on October 17 and another on Sunday.
The CGI in Milan has advised Indian students in the city to be in touch with each other, especially when they go out.

The CGI has also advised students to spread information among other students from India about the areas where they have experienced "such incidents" so that such areas can be avoided.