Indian student dies, another critical after bike accident in China

Mumbai: An Indian student has died while another remains critically injured after a bike accident in Nanjing, a city in China’s eastern Jiangsu province.

The incident, which happened on the morning of April 29, led to the death of Mohammed Jaseem, a fifth-year mechanical engineering student at Nanjing University, with his friend Jassim Subair, a medical student at Southeast University facing severe injuries.

Both the students came to China from Kerala in 2018. While Mohammed hailed from the city of Palakkad, Jassim is from Malappuram.

Jassim, who is currently being treated at Nanjing Zijin Hospital, regained consciousness a few days ago with his family members and friends now collecting the amount for Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT). 

"The student is getting better day by day. The cost of the treatment is 3500RMB (41,000 INR), and university insurance isn't enough to compensate for these expenses. So friends and family are trying to help with whatever they can contribute," said Dr. Shahroz Khan, All India Student's Coordinator of Indian students in China.

The relatives of the students have arrived in Nanjing with Mohammed’s family members yet to take his body back to India.

“The parents haven’t been able to bring Mohammed’s body back to India. We are trying to help the family members and coordinate with the Indian Embassy in Beijing regarding the matter. We have also written a letter to the Ministry of External Affairs concerning the issue,” said Mohammad Sageer, Joint Secretary, Foreign Medical Graduates Parents Association (FMGPA), who alleged that Chinese authorities have not provided enough details on the accident. 

Sources have told The Free Press Journal that the Indian Embassy in Beijing is looking into the incident. The FPJ has reached out to the Embassy with some queries, responses to which are being awaited. 

Indian students return to China post-Covid

With China dropping its zero Covid policy after almost three years, Indian medical students are making a return to the East Asian country to continue their studies. 

Over 23,000 Indian students were studying in China before the Covid-19 pandemic, with around 6,200 student visas being approved for Indians since 2022 after the country eased travel rules, as per a report by the Chinese government-funded Global Times.