New Delhi, May 18: The Indian government on Saturday urged its citizens in Kyrgyzstan to stay indoors amid reports of attacks on foreign students and protests by locals in Bishkek on Friday night over concerns about the growing number of migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, Egypt and other countries.

“We are in touch with our students. The situation is presently calm but students are advised to stay indoors for the moment and get in touch with the Embassy in case of any issue. Our 24×7 contact number is 0555710041,” the Indian Consulate said on X.

Foreign Minister S Jaishankar also advised students to stay in regular touch with the embassy. “Monitoring the welfare of Indian students in Bishkek. Situation is reportedly calm now. Strongly advise students to stay in regular touch with the Embassy,” he said.

Around 15,000 Indian students are estimated to be in Kyrgyzstan.

As per reports, an altercation took place between local students and foreign students at a hostel on May 13, after which the people started gathering on Friday to show dissatisfaction with what they alleged was the lax treatment of foreigners involved in the fight.

However, police said three foreigners were detained on suspicion of hooliganism, the AKIpress news outlet reported. It said the suspects appeared in a video, apologising for the fight and saying they would accept their punishment.

While the Kyrgyz government has said that the situation has been brought under control, police in riot gear remained deployed in part of Kyrgyzstan’s capital overnight as large crowds gathered in anger over the alleged fight between locals and foreign nationals.

The crowds milled around some intersections of Bishkek for hours before dispersing early Saturday, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs said the situation was stable. There are no casualties and injuries among nationals of Kyrgyzstan and foreign nationals, the Interior Ministry said.

Meanwhile, Pakistan has also issued a similar advisory for its students, asking them to stay indoors. While some posts on social media claimed that three Pakistani students were killed in the attack, the government has said that they have not received a report of any deaths yet.

The Pakistan embassy said that the matter escalated after videos of a fight between Kyrgyz and Egyptian students on May 13 went viral online on Friday. The mob targeted hostels of medical universities in Bishkek, which are inhabited by students from India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh.

Pakistan’s Kyrgyzstan consulate wrote in a post on X, “So far, a few hostels of medical universities in Bishkek and private residences of international students including Pakistanis have been attacked. The hostels are inhabited by students from India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. There have been reports of light injuries to several students from Pakistan.” “Despite social media posts about alleged death and rape of Pakistani students, so far, we have not received any confirmed report,” it added.

State National Security Committee Chairman Kamchybek Tashiev was quoted by AKIpress as saying that young people aged between 18 and 25 years gathered in Bishkek on Friday night over concerns about the growing number of migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, Egypt and other countries.-Agencies