Gujarat University hostel attack leads to three more arrests; relocation of international students on the cards

Ahmedabad: International students of Gujarat University are set to be relocated to a new hostel and three more arrests were made on Monday in the wake of the recent attack on scholars during a prayer session in their hostel.

This decision to relocate the international students was taken after a group of assailants forcefully entered the hostel premises, targeting people offering namaz.

The Ahmedabad Police escalated its response to the attack and arrested three additional suspects on Monday.

The detainees, identified as Kshitij Kamlesh Pandey, Jitendra Ghanshyam Patel, and Sahil Arunbhai Dudhtiuva, are facing charges under various Sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including unlawful assembly, rioting, and assault.

The assault, which occurred on the night of March 16 at the university’s international boys’ hostel, involved 20-25 individuals who confronted the foreign students, leading to severe injuries for some.

The victims, including students from African countries, Turkmenistan, Sri Lanka, and Afghanistan, are part of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) program.

In response to the incident, the university administration has taken action, including replacing the study abroad program coordinator and the NRI hostel warden.

Vice Chancellor Neerja Gupta announced the immediate shifting of international students to a hostel designated for NRI students, along with enhanced security measures involving ex-Army personnel.

Gujarat University has also initiated the formation of a foreign student advisory committee to address the concerns and safety of its international student body.

Meanwhile, police are looking for the remaining individuals involved in the attack, and the ongoing investigation is headed by Deputy Commissioner of Police, Tarun Duggal.

IANS