Ahmedabad: At least five foreign students were injured after a mob stormed a Gujarat University hostel in Ahmedabad when the students were reportedly offering Namaz outside their rooms on Saturday. According to media reports, the students belonging to Sri Lanka, South Africa, Afghanistan and Uzbekistan were attacked brutally and shifted to a hospital.
Some reports also said the mob vandalised their laptops, mobile phones and other equipment before leaving the hostel.
The injured students were reportedly offering namaz at Block A of Gujarat University, where the foreign students reside. A group of people allegedly protested and shouted religious slogans like "Jai Shri Ram" when they were offering namaz.
This triggered a clash between the students of the two communities. The video of the incident also went viral on social media platforms, wherein some people were seen smashing some hostellers while some were seen damaging vehicles.
FIR lodged
However, later today, Ahmedabad Commissioner of Police GS Malik said that the foreign students were offering namaz outside their room at around 10:30 pm when a group of 20-25 people questioned why they were praying outside and suggested reading Namaz in the Masjid. Subsequently, an argument broke out between them and stones were pelted. However, the top official claimed the security officials swiftly took action and lodged an FIR.
"Around 300 foreign students study at Gujarat University and around 75 foreign students stay in A Block (Hostel). Yesterday, at around 10:30 pm a group of students were offering Namaz. Around 20-25 people came and asked them why they were offering Namaz here and should instead read it in the Masjid. An argument broke out between them, stones were pelted and their rooms were vandalised by the people who came from outside," said Malik.
Meanwhile, the police official confirmed that he and other top officials had held a meeting with Gujarat Home Minister Harsh Shangvi where he directed the police to arrest the accused as soon as possible.
"Police took swift action and FIR has been registered against 20-25 people. Action will be taken against those involved in this. One person has been identified. The law and order situation is under control now. At least two students from Sri Lanka and Tajikistan are admitted to the hospital...," he added.
Owaisi asks if PM Modi intervene
Meanwhile, Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi, in a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, called the incident a "shame" and dubbed it "mass radicalisation" of people. The AIMIM leader also asked the Prime Minister if he would intervene in order to send a strong message.
"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," the Hyderabad MP wrote on X.
Further, in the social media post, Owaisi also tagged External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar and said the "domestic anti-Muslim hatred is destroying India’s goodwill".
