In interviews, they said it is always tragic when a young person is killed in the prime of life but they do not see any pattern that suggests that students from either India or Andhra Pradesh are being targeted.

Indian-American leader Sant Singh Chatwal said he sees no pattern in the killings and hence they are acts of random crime.

"It would be wrong to scare the potential students from coming to the US by raising the bogey of hate crime."

Chairman of the US India Political Action Committee Sanjay Puri also discounted reports that Indian students were being targeted and said these appeared to be random cases of crime. He also made the point that Indians constitute the largest proportion of students and as their number increases, chances of their being victims of such crimes increases.

"Even one death of a young student who has come to study to make good in life is too many but it would be wrong to think that there is any bias against them," he said. He agreed there is need to educate students on safety and said that they should acquaint themselves with the area in which they are living. Such incidents can happen anywhere and should not deter Indians who want to come to the United States for higher or specialised studies. While the major incidents get reported, they agreed that the students could also be victims of robberies which they never report, other community leaders say.

India sends the largest number of students followed by China. Currently, some 80,000 students are studying in various American universities and as their number rises, there could be some increase in crimes against them.

The leaders pointed out that incidents are not concentrated at particular place and have been reported from different States and universities. That, they argue, shows that there could not be a coordinated move to target students of a particular country or State.

The foreigners, one of them said, are always at risk in any country and need to be careful and students are no exception.

However, they suggested that the students coming to the US should be given some sort of orientation course to caution them and make them aware of basic safety measures they need to take when selecting accommodation especially off campus.

It would be a good idea, they say, if the students are made aware of the environment around the universities they are joining and that could be done either by the consulates here or the some agencies in India.

Asked why students from Andhra Pradesh had been the victims, Chairman of Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO) Thomas Abraham as also others said it appears to be a mere coincidence.

Abraham said the number of students from Andhra Pradesh is much higher among the Indian students in the country.

Several community leaders said one reason is that the students from India come here after taking huge loans with the idea once they are in the United States, they would be able to pay them back, but they could face difficulties if they are unable to find part time employment and to save money, they tend to move to areas which might not very safe.

Abraham, who himself was victims of two robberies in New York during his student days in 1970s, said that he does not think that there are any organised attacks as in that case second generation Indians too would have been targeted.

So far as the issue of students from Andhra being the victims, he said they constitute a major percentage of the students in the United States. The State was first to witness the Information Technology revolution and that saw increase in the number of students seeking higher education here.

"When foreign students come to the US, irrespective of the country, they should be stay safely. Around many universities, there are neighbourhoods that are not safe and they need to be on the alert when walking in such areas at hours and while entering or exiting their apartments," he said.

In this context, President of the Telugu Association in North America (TANA) Jayaram Komati pointed out that in earlier days, Indian students used to join only major universities which were located in urban areas. Now they join even smaller universities if they are unable to get admission in major one and then try to migrate a year or two later.

While that is the right strategy, they need to be more careful if they move to smaller towns.

The association, Komati said, has set up teams to help students and others from the State and the country.

"We are prepared to give advice and help if someone seeks. We are trying to make students aware that they could contact TANA any time they need any help."

But he firmly rejected that the students from the State are being targets as, he said, is being made out in some media reports. Even if Indians were being targeted, the perpetrators would not know from what State a person comes.

When some unfortunate incident occurs, he says, he gets calls from the media in the State who ask the same question and he had repeatedly told them that that is not the case.

The association, he said, also actively helps the victims and their families. He also agreed that students coming here should be given some orientation as to what they could expect.

A leading community leader and senior office bearer of the Indian American Friendship Council Prasad Thotakura said he does not see any particular reason of targeting Andhra students. But, said they have been discussing the issue with the Indian officials and demanding that justice be done to perpetrators of the crimes.

He said he is coordinating "Student Safety and Security Seminars" in the University of North Texas in its various campuses and inviting local police chiefs, mayors and university officials to walk the international students through safety procedures.