An Indian student has been killed in St Petersburg, according to Russian news agencies. The 27 year-old student of St Petersburg’s medicine academy was found with wounds in the centre of the city late Sunday, near a hostel for foreigner students.

Other students found him unconsciousness and called the police and ambulance, but he died a short time later. Local police stated the student was stabbed to death Sunday evening.

The St Petersburg prosecutor's office has launched a criminal investigation. Police have not ruled out the incident being race related. A friend of the student who's lived in Russia for five years believes the city's not safe for foreigners.

Kishore Sridhar, the victim’s friend, told Russia Today from St. Petersburg:

“There are no necessary safety conditions for foreigners in this city. There is no protection from the Institute. There is even no protection from the local administration, local authorities.  Having lived in St. Petersburg for already five years, I can say, that most of all, local citizens don’t like foreigners.”