Centre firefights as foreign pupils offering namaz attacked at Gujarat University hostel in Ahmedabad

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 17

The police have arrested two men and are looking for more after students from foreign countries were assaulted allegedly by a group of persons at a Gujarat University hostel in Ahmedabad for offering namaz there, the police said on Sunday.

Strict action against perpetrators: MEA

• On Saturday night, 20-25 locals ask foreign students offering namaz in Ahmedabad varsity hostel to do so in mosque; as they continue prayers, they are attacked
• Two are hurt and hospitalised, one is discharged later; MEA vows strict action by state government against perpetrators; two suspects have been arrested so far

The Ministry of External Affairs has promised strict action by the Gujarat Government against perpetrators of violence against the foreign students, two of whom sustained injuries.

“An incidence of violence took place at Gujarat University on Saturday. The 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,” said MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal after videos of local students assaulting their foreign counterparts became viral.

Jaiswal said of the two injured students, one was discharged from hospital after receiving medical attention. The two — one from Sri Lanka and another from Tajikistan — were hospitalised after the incident.

A case has been registered against 20-25 unidentified persons for rioting, unlawful assembly, voluntarily causing hurt, damage to property and criminal trespass, among others and two suspects — Hitesh Mevada and Bharat Patel — arrested so far. The foreign students were allegedly attacked while offering Ramzan prayers at their hostel. Ahmedabad Commissioner of Police GS Malik was quoted as stating around 20 to 25 locals accosted a group of students offering namaz in their hostel around 10.50 pm on Saturday and asked them to do so in the mosque. When the students said they would finish their prayers, the group threw stones and vandalised their rooms. Nine teams had been formed to conduct a probe into the incident, Malik said. Minister of State for Home Harsh Sanghavi held a meeting with police officers and directed them to take strict and judicial action in the matter, Malik said.

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