Ahmedabad: Nearly four international students of Gujarat University were injured after a group of men barged into the hostel last night and attacked them for allegedly offering namaaz. The students are from Uzbekistan, South Africa and Sri Lanka. Police said a probe has been initiated in this connection.
Two students - one from Sri Lanka and another from Tajikistan - were hospitalised after the incident which took place on Saturday night, news agency PTI reported quoting sources.
According to the students, they were offering 'taraweeh', a prayer offered in night during Ramadan, in their hostel as there is no mosque in the campus. Suddenly a group entered the hostel with sticks and attacked them along with vandalising their rooms. They said that their laptops, mobile phones and bikes were broken during the incident.
The group pelted stones at Block-A of the hostel and raised 'Jai Shri Ram' slogans. The men criticised the students for offering namaaz inside the hostel and asked as to who had given them permission. A minor scuffle ensued between the group and the students.
Four international students suffered injuries and were taken to the SVP Hospital for treatment. Police reached the spot after sometime and brought the situation under control. Inspector SR Bawa said that the incident took place late at night and investigations have been initiated.
On getting information about the incident, Jamalpur MLA Imran Khedawala and former MLA Ghiyasuddin Shaikh reached the spot and urged the Police Commissioner to conduct a thorough investigation.
Hyderabad MP and All India Majilis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi condemned the incident saying "domestic anti-Muslim hatred is destroying India’s goodwill".
"What a shame. When your devotion & religious slogans only come out when Muslims peacefully practice their religion. When you become unexplainably angry at the mere sight of Muslims. What is this, if not mass radicalisation? This is the home state of @AmitShah & @narendramodi, will they intervene to send a strong message? I am not holding my breath. @DrSJaishankar domestic anti-Muslim hatred is destroying India’s goodwill," he tweeted.
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