Knife attack at Russian university injures six, including four Indian students

Moscow (The Uttam Hindu): Six people, including four Indian students, were injured in a knife attack on Saturday at a hostel for foreign students at a university in the Russian Republic of Bashkortostan. The Indian Embassy in Moscow confirmed the incident late Saturday night, calling it an unfortunate attack. The embassy said it was in constant touch with Russian authorities to ensure proper medical care for the injured and to obtain information. Officials from the Indian Consulate in Kazan have been sent to Ufa to provide assistance.

The Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi has also been informed. The reason for the attack is not yet clear, but Indian officials have reiterated that the safety of students abroad is their primary concern. Diplomatic sources indicated that the embassy is closely monitoring the situation and will continue to provide updates. According to initial reports, a teenager armed with a knife entered the dormitory of the State Medical University in Ufa, Republic of Bashkortostan, and attacked students living there.

The attacker resisted arrest, stabbing two police officers, and inflicting bodily harm on himself, Interior Ministry spokeswoman Major General Irina Volk was quoted as saying by the RTVI.com web portal. The students' identities and nationalities were not disclosed.

The "Baza" Telegram channel said the attacker, identified as a 15-year-old teenager, was admitted to a local children's hospital in critical condition, while four students and two police officers were admitted to a local clinical hospital. The Russian Federal Health Ministry said those injured in the attack were receiving treatment, with one of them in critical condition.

Authorities in Ufa, the capital of the Republic of Bashkortostan, located about 1,200 kilometers east of Moscow, have launched a high-level investigation into the incident. A news channel claimed the attacker belonged to the banned neo-Nazi organization NS/WP. He was shouting nationalist slogans during the attack. A photo of a swastika painted on a wall with the victims' blood was shared.