Sri Lankan among foreign students attacked at Gujarat University while offering prayers

Five foreign students of Gujarat University including a Sri Lankan were injured, when a group of 20-25 people barged into their hostel and assaulted them for offering prayers during Ramadan in the hostel building on Saturday (17) night, Indian media reported.

According to the police, the two foreign students who had to be hospitalised are from Sri Lanka and Turkmenistan. While one of them is still in hospital, the other has been discharged, they said. Of the other students who sustained injuries, two are from African nations and one from Afghanistan.

Police have registered a case under IPC provisions relating to unlawful assembly, rioting, voluntarily causing hurt and criminal trespass. The two arrested persons have been identified as Hitesh Mevada and Bharat Patel, both residents of Ahmedabad.

As videos of the incident started circulating on social media, showing some people vandalising the hostel rooms and damaging vehicles, Ahmedabad Police Commissioner G S Malik and Gujarat University Vice Chancellor Neerja Gupta reached the hostel Sunday morning.

Malik told reporters that around 10.30 pm Saturday, when some foreign students were offering prayers, 20-25 people entered the university’s Block A hostel building and asked why they were offering prayers there and told them to do so at a mosque. This led to a scuffle followed by stone pelting and vandalism.

“Somebody informed the police control room at 10.51 pm and a PCR van reached the spot at 10.56 pm,” Malik said. “We have taken serious note of the incident and strict action will be taken.”

The five students who were injured are pursuing different courses under Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) scholarships. ICCR Gujarat in-charge Surendra Kumar told The Indian Express, “The police and state government are looking into the incident. As soon as we get an update from the university authorities we will inform our headquarters.”

There are around 300 foreign students under ICCR scholarship in Gujarat University and around 1,100 students across the state.

A student from Afghanistan who was among those injured said: “I was in my room when I heard slogans of Jai Sri Ram from outside around 10.30 pm. When I came out I saw some three-four persons, one of them wearing an orange scarf, stopping the students from praying.”

“A verbal spat led to slapping … that’s when the security personnel intervened and took them away. Soon, those who attacked called others and in no time a mob had reached the hostel. They attacked the students and started pelting stones at the rooms,” the student said.

Around 75 foreign students stay in the Block A hostel, the ground plus two-storey building with 50 rooms.

Eyewitnesses said the mob chased the foreign students to their rooms. “One of the students was attacked with a knife while another injured his leg when a stone broke the window glass and hit him. The attackers were shouting and looking for two boys who clashed with them outside,” said a hostel inmate.

“Out of fear, some students jumped from the first floor and ran, while many left the hostel and stayed in a hotel last night,” said another student.

Vice Chancellor Gupta told The Indian Express: “We have removed the coordinator of Study Abroad Programme (SAP) and within three days not only foreign students but others too will be moved to new hostels for better security and facilities. A Foreign Student Advisory Committee has also been constituted that includes the SAP coordinator, legal cell assistant registrar and Gujarat University Lokpal.”

Following the violence, the university on Sunday allocated G+9 block to local students and the NRI hostel with 90 rooms to the foreign students.

Briefing reporters earlier in the day, the Vice Chancellor said there was already some tension between the foreign students and those who attacked them. “As per the information available with me, this (namaz) is not the main issue. There were already some differences between the two groups. This is a matter of investigation. The issue cannot take such a major form in one day and from one incident.”

She also said that the university will arrange for cultural orientation for foreign students. “They are foreign students and when they go to foreign countries there is a need to be culturally sensitive. From this incident it has emerged that there is still a need for cultural orientation. We will sit with them (foreign students) and try to understand what they feel and what can be done and how to strengthen their security.”

While Prof Neelam J Panchal has replaced Rakesh Raval as the new SAP coordinator, Parth Panchal has been appointed as the assistant. Also, Ashokbhai Chavda has been appointed as the NRI hostel warden and Kapil Kumar as the coordinator.

On the change of guard, Vice Chancellor Gupta later told The Indian Express, “I was informed that there were already some representations from local students submitted to the SAP staff but there was no action. These were primarily on the cultural issues and also objections against some religious leaders visiting the hostel premises. There should be no public display of religious activities. There are not only Muslims but Christians, Buddhists and students from other religions too who are staying in the hostel.”

Even as videos of the incident went viral, India’s Ministry of External Affairs issued a statement Sunday evening. “An incidence of violence took place at Gujarat University in Ahmedabad yesterday. State government is taking strict action against the perpetrators. Two foreign students were injured in the clash. One of them has been discharged from hospital after receiving medical attention. MEA is in touch with Gujarat government,” official MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a post on X.

Ahmedabad Crime Branch meanwhile arrested two accused and handed them over to Gujarat University Police Station. Deputy Commissioner of Police Tarun Duggal said, “Nine teams were formed to arrest those accused. Two of them have been arrested. Investigations are on to arrest the other accused.”

When asked about the background of the two arrested, Duggal said, “Their interrogation is still on. We can speak about their background, their intention, and how they did it after the interrogation is over.”

The ABVP and Gujarat Youth Congress demanded “strict action” against those involved in the violence.

State ABVP secretary Samarth Bhatt said, “The incident of assault and vandalism against students in the hostel premises exposes the hostel and university administration. It is also necessary to investigate the role of Congress and religious elements who instigated the students. ABVP demands strictest action from Gujarat government and police administration against those accused of instigating students and assault and vandalism.”

In a letter to the Governor, Chief Minister, Home Minister and Education Minister, Gujarat state Youth Congress leader Subhan Sayyed raised security lapses in university hostels and demanded strict action against anti-social elements.

Two of the assailants were arrested Sunday (17) while three others were apprehended today (18), police said, adding that an FIR has been lodged and investigations were on to identify the rest. According to Detection of Crime Branch (DCB) officers, the arrested men have been identified as Kshitij Kamlesh Pandey, 22, a resident of Ambika Apartment in Naranpura; Jitendra Ghanshyam Patel, 31, from Municipal Karmacharinagar in Ghatlodia; and Sahil Arunbhai Dudhtiuva, 21, who lives in Memnagar.

According to a press release, Pandey, who works and lives in a paying guest accommodation in Ahmedabad, is from Gandhidham, and Jitendra Patel is an AC repairman from Kalol in Gandhinagar.

--With agencies inputs