Washington, April 18, 2007 - Two senior Indian Embassy officials met students from the community at the Virginia Tech University and assured support at the most difficult time that they were passing through after a shooting rampage in the campus which claimed the lives of 33 people. The students included two Indians.

They also established contact with relevant officials, including the Vice Provost for Outreach and International affairs and the Director of the Indian Student Centre as per PTI.

The travel of the officials to Blacksburg, Virginia come at a time when two Indian fatalities have been confirmed in the shooting -- Professor G V Loganathan of the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department and Minal Panchal, a first-year student who had been listed "missing" since the Monday morning's incident.

The senior officials also met representatives of student associations and have been in touch with office-bearers of the Indian American community groups.

"A gathering of Indian students was organised in which the two conveyed the Embassy's full support at this traumatic time," an official said.

They are also meeting the family members of Loganathan to personally convey the condolences and support of the government and the people of India.

Chairman National Integration Assembly (NIA) Dr. Raj Baldev said, “Such incidents of clashes among the students or ghastly action by certain students against the others are happening in America off and on, and the academic authorities raise their hands and express their helplessness.

Dr. Raj Baldev continued, "The concerned Govt. department should take such incidents seriously to prevent their recurrences. If no timely action is taken by the Govt. on such preventions, it shall discourage the students from other countries to come for study in the USA. In short, it is a wrong signal on the part of American educational discipline and that needs immediate attention.”