Four foreign students at Gujarat University’s international boys’ hostel in Ahmedabad sustained injuries after they were attacked by a mob late on Saturday night reportedly over offering namaaz during Ramzan. The police have registered an FIR and are investigating the incident. The students, two of whom were injured severely, are recovering at a hospital where their condition is said to be out of danger.
On learning about the incident, Ahmedabad police chief G S Mallik and Gujarat University Vice-Chancellor Neerja Gupta reached the hostel on Sunday morning.
According to initial reports, international students from Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh were reportedly attacked while they were offering late-night namaaz on Saturday at an area designated by the Gujarat University in the international boys’ hostel block-A. Purported videos of the incident, shared on X, also show some people vandalising two-wheelers.
Speaking to media persons after the visit, Police Commissioner Malik said that around 10.30 pm, when the foreign students were offering namaz, 20-25 people asked why they were offering prayers there and told them to do so at a mosque. This led to a scuffle, stone pelting, and vandalism in hostel rooms as well.
“Somebody informed the police control room at 10.51 pm and a PCR van reached the spot at 10.56 pm,” Malik said, adding, “We have taken serious note of the incident and strict action will be taken.”
“Nine teams have been formed (to probe the incident). One accused has been identified and the police will arrest (all) the accused,” he said.
Speaking to The Indian Express, Imran Khedawala, the Congress MLA from Jamalpur Khadia, said, “A group of around 30 people entered the area chanting ‘Jai Sri Ram’ slogans during the namaaz at around 10.30 pm and reportedly attacked the international students. Four students who were injured – two of them severely – were rushed to the municipal corporation-run SVP Hospital.”
Khedawala and former MLA Gyasuddin Sheikh, who were among the first to reach the spot on Saturday night, rushed the students to the hospital.
The incident took place in the presence of hostel security staff and the police also arrived after the attack, Khedawala said. “The rooms of these foreign students were also ransacked and those involved in the attack damaged their laptops and mobile phones,” the MLA added.
Responding to the incident, the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) demanded “strict action” on the part of the authorities. In a statement issued on Sunday, it said, “Such incidents in the campus raise serious questions on the security arrangements of the campus. ABVP demands strict security arrangements from the Gujarat University administration.”
While V-C Neerja Gupta could not be reached over the phone for a comment, the hostel in-charge Shailesh Goswami declined to share information.
