NEW DELHI – Hindu extremists attacked Muslim students for saying prayers on the Gujarat University campus on Saturday evening.
According to the Indian media reports, some students were injured in the mob attack and admitted to SVP Hospital in Ahmedabad. Ahmedabad Police Commissioner G.S. Malik was quoted by the local media as saying, “Around 300 foreign students from Africa, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka and other countries study here at the Gujarat University.
“In Block A, around 75 foreign students, who live there, were offering prayers at their hostel yesterday around 10:30pm.
“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, assaulted them and hurled stones.”
The police commissioner claimed to have restored the law and order and registered an FIR against 20-25 suspects who “would be arrested soon”. The attackers were shouting slogans such as “Jai Shri Ram”.
An Indian media report says, “Videos showing vandalism and stone pelting have gone viral on social media. The clips also showed damaged bikes, broken laptops and ravaged rooms. In some of the visuals, people are seen throwing stones at the hostel and hurling abuses at the overseas students. In the visuals, the international students are heard saying that they are ‘scared’ and that ‘this is unacceptable’.”
Since there is no mosque on the campus, the students had reportedly gathered at a hostel earmarked for foreign students to offer namaz at night during the month of Ramadan. The mob of Hindu extremists stormed the students’ rooms and destroyed their belongings.
Gujarat University vice chancellor Neerja Arun Gupta said violence erupted due to a “clash” between two groups. She said the police and the government were taking the matter very seriously.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs said it had taken cognisance of the matter and was in touch with the state government.
