3 more held for attack on international students offering namaz in Gujarat

The crime branch arrested three people, Kshitij Pandey (22), Jitendra Patel (31) and Sahil Dudhatiya (21), all residents of Ahmedabad, and handed them over to the local police for further probe, taking the total number of the arrested accused to five so far.

Ahmedabad: Police on Monday arrested three more people in connection with the alleged attack on some international students in the Gujarat University hostel premises here for offering namaz near the hostel block, the crime branch said.

The city crime branch on Sunday nabbed two persons - Hitesh Mevada and Bharat Patel - and handed over them to the Gujarat University police station for further legal process, it said in a release.

On Monday, the crime branch arrested three people more, Kshitij Pandey (22), Jitendra Patel (31) and Sahil Dudhatiya (21), all residents of Ahmedabad, and handed them over to the local police for further probe, taking the total number of the arrested accused to five so far, the release said.

Students hailing from different foreign countries were assaulted on Saturday night by a group of persons in the Gujarat University hostel for offering namaz neat the facility's block, according to the police.

Two students - one from Sri Lanka and another from Tajikistan - were hospitalised after the incident which took place in the A-block hostel, police earlier said.

Following the incident, an FIR was registered against 20-25 unidentified persons under Indian Penal Code sections for rioting, unlawful assembly, voluntarily causing hurt, damage to property, criminal trespass, among others.

Police Commissioner GS Malik rushed to the spot after the incident and said nine teams were formed to conduct a probe into it.

Minister of State for Home Harsh Sanghavi also held a meeting with police officers on Sunday and directed them to take strict and judicial action in the matter.

"Some 20-25 people entered the hostel premises (on Saturday night) and objected to the international students offering namaz there, asking them to do so in a mosque. They argued over the issue, assaulting them and hurling stones. They also vandalised their rooms," Malik said earlier.

There are around 300 international students enrolled at the Ahmedabad-based Gujarat University, including from Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Sri Lanka and countries in the African continent, the official said.

Nearly 75 of the international students stay in the A-block hostel of the university where the incident occurred, he said.

Several purported videos of the incident have also surfaced showing people pelting stones and vandalising vehicles of the students.