When a mob apparently objected to students from Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, South Africa, and Sri Lanka performing namaz in their dormitory rooms, this was reported.
Tensions about the practice of offering namaz on campus are said to have been the catalyst for a late-night incident at Gujarat University that left five foreign students with serious injuries.
The students, who are from Afghanistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, and Uzbekistan, were reciting namaz in their dormitories when some others allegedly objected and yelled religious phrases. This resulted in a disagreement between the two groups, which quickly turned into a fight.
Five people were hurt as members of the two groups came to blows. The incident happened at Gujarat University’s Block A, which houses the international students.
The additional commissioner of police (crime) for Ahmedabad city, Neerajkumar Badgujar, acknowledged that a formal complaint had been lodged and gave his word that the perpetrators would be apprehended shortly. Only one of the injured international students is still in the hospital, according to Badgujar; the others have already received treatment and been released.
