Seven international students have been asked to leave the hostel premises of Gujarat University for overstaying, an official said on Sunday. Six of the students are from Afghanistan, and one is from East Africa.
The decision was taken weeks after the students were attacked for offering namaz inside the campus. Previously, delegations from Afghanistan and Gambia had visited the university after the incident took place to ensure the safety of the students.
“Six students from Afghanistan and one from East Africa were asked to vacate their hostel rooms after they were found overstaying,” said the university’s vice chancellor, Neerja Gupta, to PTI. She said that the students had completed their course and were staying at the university for some pending administrative work.
“We have completed the required paperwork, and they can now safely return to their native countries. We don’t want to keep any former students in our hostel. We have informed the consulates of the respective countries, and they have also directed these students to vacate the hostel,” the vice chancellor said.
What Happened on March 16?
On March 16, some students raised objections to students from Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, and other countries offering namaz inside the hostel. In counterargument, a mob of around two dozen people entered the premises and assaulted students from foreign countries for offering namaz at one of the blocks of the hostel.
Navid Siddique, a student from Afghanistan said that a student named Azat from Turkmenistan and a Sri Lankan student named Mario Fernando, of Christian faith, suffered severe injuries and were hospitalized following the incident.
Siddique alleged, “A large mob barged into the hostel and attacked us with sticks, bats, and rods. Two African students, one Sri Lankan, one from Turkmenistan, and two students from Afghanistan, including me, received injuries,” as per TOI.
While CNN reported the attackers as ‘Far-Right Hindus,’ Citizens for Justice and Peace (CJP) wrote, “In one of the videos that emerged, the mob can be seen pelting stones and other material from the ground while verbally abusing foreign nationals and shouting “Jai Shree Ram.” The nature of the hate crime in the present case suggests not only communal hatred but also xenophobia and racism, as apparent from the sloganeering and curses hurled at the foreign students, which are captured on record.”
After Gujarat Home Minister Harsh Sanghvi’s directions to conduct a fair probe, nine teams were formed, including four from the crime branch and five from local police under DCP, to conduct a probe into the case.
Last week, a group of students affiliated with the National Students Union of India protested at Gujarat University, demanding the resignation of the vice chancellor, Neerja Gupta, over the assault on international students performing namaz.
