Indian Student Stabbed In Russia

BBC News, Moscow

May 4, 2006

By James Rodgers

A student from India has been stabbed in the Russian city of St Petersburg, in what seems to be the latest in a series of apparently racist attacks. Some of the attacks in the city on foreigners and members of ethnic minorities have been fatal.

Twenty-two-year-old Andjangi Kumar was stabbed in the neck.

The incident took place as Mr Kumar was returning to his student hostel. He has been treated in hospital and his life is not thought to be in danger.

St Petersburg is the scene of a growing number of attacks apparently motivated by racial hatred.

Jury sympathy

Two weeks ago, a Senegalese student was shot dead after leaving a nightclub.

Other victims have included a nine-year-old Tajik girl who was killed by a gang in the street, and a girl of mixed Russian-African parentage, also nine, who suffered severe knife wounds.

On each occasion, police have launched investigations, and some of those responsible have been brought to justice.

Victims' friends and family have been disappointed by prosecutors refusal to treat the attacks as crimes of race hate.

The perpetrators have been convicted of lesser offences than murder, and, on at least one occasion, juries have shown them sympathy because of their youth.

As a result, dark-skinned people in St Petersburg say they simply do not feel safe. Political groups which proudly describe themselves as racist are active in the city - providing the ideological inspiration for the attacks.

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/europe/4925678.stm

Published: 2006/04/20 09:04:58 GMT

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