Krishna condemns radio collar tags on Indian students

Bangalore, Jan 30: External Affairs Minister S M Krishna today (Sunday, Jan 30) strongly condemned the reported forcible wearing of radio collars around the ankles of Indian students in the Tri-Valley University in US and demanded severe action against those responsible for the "inhuman act".

"We demand the US government initiate severe action against those officials responsible for this inhuman act. Indian students are not criminals. The radio collars should immediately be removed," he told reporters here.

"The Ministry will extend all help to the students. The parents need not worry since the matter has been taken up with appropriate authorities," he said.

The government would also provide suitable assistance to the affected students if they wished to return to India, he said.

Some of the Indian students who had landed themselves in the dubious university, mostly from Andhra Pradesh, were reportedly forced to wear radio collars around their ankles to enable the US authorities keep track of their movements.

To a question on unrest in Egypt, he said, "Our Ambassador to Egypt R Swaminathan is in close contact and had discussion twice with me since last night". The envoy informed that all Indians were safe and their family members need not worry about their safety.

"Government of India will safeguard and provide adequate help if any of them would like to come back," he said.

Krishna said during his last visit to Islamabad, he had extended invitation to Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureishi to visit India so that the dialogue could be continued, but there was no positive response as of yet, he said.

PTI