AHMEDABAD: Muslim students hailing from different foreign countries including Bangladesh, Uzbekistan and Afghanistan were assaulted allegedly by a group of persons in the Gujarat University hostel in Ahmedabad for offering namaz in the facility's building, police said on Sunday. A video of the attack showing goons in saffron shawls has gone viral. Some students are injured and are currently admitted to SVP hospital.
The incident was reported at around 10.50 pm on March 16 when nearly two dozen people barged into the (government-run) Gujarat University's hostel and raised an objection to students from other countries offering namaz in the facility where they stayed, Police Commissioner GS Malik said.
According to the students, since there was no mosque on the Ahmedabad-based campus, they had assembled inside the hostel to perform taraweeh, a nightly prayer during Ramadan. A student from Afghanistan said that a mob then came and shouted slogans, questioning their right to pray in the hostel. "They even assaulted us within our rooms, destroying laptops, phones, and vandalizing bikes," he recounted. The student mentioned that among the five injured individuals, there is one from Afghanistan, one from Sri Lanka, one from Turkmenistan, and two from African nations.
Reportedly, despite efforts by the hostel's security guard to intervene, the assailants managed to carry out their attack.
A report quoted an Afghan student who claimed that though the police arrived at the spot, they let the mob flee. "We are not safe here. We request Gujarat University to shift us to a safe place," the student said.
There are around 300 international students enrolled at the Gujarat University, including from Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Sri Lanka and countries in Africa, GS Malik said. Nearly 75 of the international students stay in the A-block hostel of the university where the incident occurred, he added.
"Some 20-25 people entered the hostel premises and objected to the international students offering namaz there, asking them to do so in a mosque. They argued over the issue, assaulting them and hurling stones," GS Malik added.
The police responded within minutes after a call was made to the control room at 10.51 pm. A police van reached the spot and action was taken, he said.
Several purported videos have also surfaced in which people are seen pelting stones, and in one incident, a man is seen slapping a university staffer, Malik said.
He said that the police are verifying the authenticity of these videos.
Two students -- one from Sri Lanka and another from Tajikistan -- have been hospitalised, he said.
An FIR was registered against 20-25 people and they will be arrested soon, Malik said, adding the situation was under control.
Nearly 75 of the international students stay in the A-block hostel of the university where the incident occurred, the officer said.
Nine teams have been formed, including four from the crime branch and five from local police under DCP, to conduct a probe into the case, he said.
All those involved in the incident will be arrested, the official said, adding the case will be monitored by the joint commissioner of police (crime).
Gujarat University Vice Chancellor Neerja Gupta said that last night two groups clashed within the premises of the A-block hostel. "The matter escalated and some international students were hurt. An FIR has been registered. The government and police have taken the matter seriously and an investigation is underway," she told media persons.
Meanwhile, State Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi has reportedly intervened, instructing Gujarat's law enforcement authorities to swiftly apprehend the perpetrators and ensure a thorough investigation.
(With additional inputs from Online Desk & PTI)