Saurabh Bhalerao, 24, a student of University of Massachusetts, Boston, who was brutally attacked while delivering a pizza in New Bedford is recovering fast and was expected to be discharged soon from the hospital, Prof. Bal Ram Singh said in a press release.

He said U. Mass. Dartmouth Foundation has established a special fund to assist Bhalerao and his family --- called the Saurabh Bhalerao Recovery Fund.

“I am pleased to report that Mr. Bhalerao is in Rhode Island Hospital, recovering from his injuries, and he is expected to be released early next week,” Prof. Singh said in the release dated June 27.

Singh, professor and Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar at the University, also had advise for other students in the campus.

“Although this appears to have been an isolated incident, I am advising all students to be aware that vicious acts of violence and hate crimes can occur anywhere and at any time. In all cases, they should be reported immediately to the police.”

Meanwhile, the university organized a rally on the steps of City Hall in New Bedford on July 2 to denounce the hate crime committed against Bhalerao.

Civic leaders and a diverse crowd of more than 150 people gathered to proclaim that New Bedford is a city that will not stand for racial hatred, Associated Press reported.

People from several communities and religious beliefs --- Jews and Christians, Muslims and Hindus, whites and African Americans --- participated in the rally, the report added.

Community leaders at the rally included Mayor Frederick M. Kalisz, Jr.; Police Chief Arthur J. Kelly III; Rep. John F. Quinn, (D-Dartmouth); UMass Dartmouth vice chancellor Susan Costa; the Rev. Edward Dufresne of the Inter-Church Council of Greater New Bedford; and Rabbi Raphael Kanter of Tifereth Israel Congregation in New Bedford.

Bhalerao, who was working part-time in a Pizzeria, was beaten, tied up and burned with cigarettes after he delivered a pizza in New Bedford on June 22.

Police in Fairhaven and New Bedford had arrested three people in the attack and were on the lookout for the fourth, a spokesman for Bristol County District Attorney Paul Walsh was quoted as saying in a Reuters report.

Ryan Marsh, 17, who allegedly stabbed Bhalerao, was charged on June 25 with armed assault with intent to murder, assault and battery with a knife and probation violations, and also faced hate crime charges.

Tyrell Tavarez, also 17, was arraigned a day later on a hate crime charge, as also charges of armed robbery, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, kidnapping, and armed assault with intent to maim, the Reuters report said.