Unidentified attackers targeted foreign students, including those from Afghanistan, at Gujarat University in Ahmedabad, India, while they participated in evening Ramadan prayers on Saturday.
The assailants vandalized hostel rooms and engaged in sloganeering and stone-throwing within Block A’s hostel premises. Foreign residents reported that individuals from Block B demanded the cessation of Ramadan prayers within the hostel areas.
Allegations emerged that what began with three students escalated rapidly, eventually involving around 200 attackers.
Gujarat University hosts students from Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Syria, and various African nations, many of whom reside in its hostels.
A video circulating online shows the attack, highlighting the gravity of the situation and the distress among the student community.
Victims of the assault have been hospitalized at SVP Hospital in Ahmedabad and are reported to be in stable condition.
In response, Ahmedabad Police issued a statement confirming the assault and vandalism against international students on the campus, promising swift action and the registration of a case against the perpetrators.
Ahmedabad Police Commissioner (ACP) G.S. Malik, after evaluating the hostel site, disclosed that of the 300 foreign students at Gujarat University, 75 reside in the A block. He detailed the incident’s progression, noting that about 25 individuals disrupted the students’ prayers, leading to altercations and damage.
Police responded promptly to a distress call, arriving within minutes, and have since initiated a comprehensive investigation, identifying one assailant and pursuing the identification of others.
ACP Malik assured that the situation is under control, with two of the hospitalized students hailing from Tajikistan and Sri Lanka.
Following the incident, Home Minister Harsh Sanghvi mandated stringent measures, with an FIR lodged against 25 unidentified individuals for rioting at the Gujarat University Police Station, underlining the ongoing investigation.
