Vadodara: Four international students of a private university in Gujarat’s Vadodara were attacked by a mob for walking at a dargah wearing footwear, the incident a result of the victims not understanding Gujarati, police said Monday.
One of the students received serious head injuries as well as wounds in the hands and leg in the attack, for which five persons have been arrested and two minors detained, an official said.
As per the FIR registered at Waghodia police station Sunday night, four Parul University students hailing from Thailand, Sudan, Mozambique and the United Kingdom were chased and attacked by around 10 persons at Limda village near their hostel building on the evening of March 14.
The FIR said the four were attacked after they failed to understand Gujarati, the language in which a man was telling them to desist from walking in shoes at the tomb.
While three students managed to escape, one Suphach Kangvanrattana (20), a second-year student of Bachelor of Computer Application (BCA) from Thailand, sustained severe head injuries after being thrashed with wooden sticks, cricket bats and stones, said the FIR.
He has been admitted to an emergency ward of Parul Sevashram Hospital, the official said.
Five persons, identified as Mukhtiyar Sheikh, Rajesh Vasava, Ravi Vasava, Swaraj Vasava and Pravin Vasava, have been arrested and two minors detained in connection with the attack, the Waghodia police station official said.
The complaint of the university official stated that four international students of Parul University were walking towards a pond at Limda village near their hostel after withdrawing money from an ATM when they were attacked by a group of around 10 villagers armed with wooden sticks, cricket bats and stones.
“While walking towards the pond, they went to a dargah where a man present there told them in Gujarati not to walk there wearing their shoes. They were unable to understand the language and, hence, they did not follow what he said. Upon this, he started shouting and pushing them. Some ten villagers also rushed there and started abusing and chasing the students as they tried to flee the scene,” the FIR based on the complaint said.
The FIR said the mob managed to get hold of Annrattana while the four were running towards the university.
Annrattana was rushed to hospital by hospital security, which arrived at the spot after being alerted about the incident.
The mob has been charged with rioting, unlawful assembly, voluntarily causing hurt or grievous injuries, reckless or negligent actions endangering human life or personal safety, criminal intimidation, intentional insult and other offences under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Waghodia police station official said.
PTI
