In Ahmedabad, a distressing incident unfolded at Gujarat University’s hostel last night, leaving nearly four international students injured. The perpetrators, a group of men, reportedly assaulted them under the pretext of objecting to their practice of offering namaaz. The targeted students hail from Uzbekistan, South Africa, and Sri Lanka. Authorities have initiated an investigation into the matter.
Among the victims, two students, one from Sri Lanka and another from Tajikistan, required hospitalization following the Saturday night assault, as reported by news agency PTI, citing sources familiar with the situation. The students recounted that they were engaged in offering ‘taraweeh’, a nightly Ramadan prayer, within their hostel premises due to the absence of a nearby mosque. Suddenly, the assailants stormed into their hostel armed with sticks, launching a vicious attack and ransacking their rooms. Personal belongings such as laptops, mobile phones, and bikes were vandalized in the process.
The attackers also hurled stones at Block-A of the hostel while chanting ‘Jai Shri Ram’ slogans. They lambasted the students for their prayer activities inside the hostel, questioning the authorization behind their actions. A brief altercation ensued between the assailants and the students.
Four international students sustained injuries and were promptly taken to SVP Hospital for medical treatment. Police intervened after receiving notification of the incident, swiftly bringing the situation under control. Inspector SR Bawa confirmed that investigations are underway, despite the incident occurring late at night.
Upon learning of the incident, Jamalpur MLA Imran Khedawala and former MLA Ghiyasuddin Shaikh visited the site, urging the Police Commissioner to conduct a thorough probe into the matter.
Condemnation poured in from various quarters, with Hyderabad MP and All India Majilis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi expressing his dismay. He denounced the incident as a manifestation of domestic anti-Muslim sentiments, tarnishing India’s reputation globally. Owaisi called upon leaders like @AmitShah and @narendramodi to take decisive action against such acts of hatred, highlighting the urgency to address growing radicalization within the country.