A 15-year-old boy, reportedly connected to a banned neo-Nazi group, allegedly carried out a stabbing attack at a university dormitory in Russia’s Bashkortostan Republic , injuring at least six people, including four Indian students.
The attacker allegedly shouted nationalist slogans referencing the Holocaust and used the victims’ blood to draw a Nazi symbol (Swastika), Times of India reported.
Preliminary reports state that the knife-wielding teenager entered a dormitory of the State Medical University in Ufa and attacked students residing there. Eyewitnesses reported widespread panic and chaos inside the hostel. Quoting eyewitnesses, Ren TV reported that there was “blood all around”.
As per Russia’s Interior ministry the attacker stabbed multiple students in the dormitory and tried to resist arrest, in which he also stabbed two police officers.
The Baza channel claimed that the teen attacker was connected to the extremist ideology. It said that the accused belong to the banned neo-Nazi organisation, National Socialism / White Power (NS/WP) Crew (or Sparrows Crew), which was designated as a terrorist organisation by the Supreme Court of Russia in 2021.” The outfit has been linked to high-profile attacks on journalists, including the Anna Politkovskaya.
According to the Russian Federal Health Ministry, one of the injured is in critical condition, while three others have sustained moderate injuries. The attacker has also been hospitalized in serious condition at a local children’s hospital.
Authorities in Ufa, the capital of the Bashkortostan Republic located about 1,200 kilometers east of Moscow, have initiated a high-level investigation into the incident.
Additionally, the suspect also tried to inflict bodily harm on himself, RTVI.com webportal reported Russian inrterior ministry spekesperson Maj General Irina Volk.
Meanwhile, The Indian Embassy called it an “unfortunate incident” and confirmed that “several person including four Indian students have been injured.” It alos informed that Indian Embassy in touch with Russian authrities and that Indian Consulate officials in Kazan are travelling to Ufa to provide assitance and other helps to Indian students.
The motive and circumstances surrounding the attack remain unclear. Indian officials has emphasized that the safety of students abroad is a main concern. The incident has send shockwave with Indian community in Russia, mainly among students, who made a significant portion of the diaspora in cities such as Kazan, Ufa, and Moscow.
The MEA has urged for calm and assured that all necessary measures are being taken to support the affected students and to coordinate with Russian authorities in conducting a comprehensive investigation.
