Around 63 Nigerian students of a private university in Gurugra, are reported to have left the campus after they were allegedly thrashed and abused on the football field and in their hostel.
Times of India reports that the Nigerian students of GD Goenka University said they feared for their lives and were staying in various places of Delhi for the time being. They have sought the Nigerian embassy’s intervention, they said.
The “temporary” decision to leave comes almost a month after a group of Indian students staged a protest against their Nigerian counterparts for offering prayers on the football ground.
READ ALSO:https://brandeconomy.com.ng/asuu-strike-i-pray-such-strike-does-not-occur-again-unilag-vc/
The protesting students, who shouted “Jai Shri Ram” slogans, had lodged a complaint with the registrar, asking the authorities to ensure the Nigerians offered namaz only in their hostel rooms. The matter was resolved amicably, police and the university had said then.
On Sunday, however, both the police and the university management said the football field had nothing to do with the protests over namaz a month ago.
According to Khaleel, a Nigerian student, trouble erupted on Friday, when the university decided to have both Indian and Nigerian students in one team. “Our captain spoke with the sports officer and laid down his objections against a ‘mixed team’. The officer decided to call off the match. Despite that, a few Indian students entered the field and before anyone could realise a thing, someone hit our captain on the head with an iron rod. Outsiders, who had come on bikes, also joined them and there was a clash. However, the matter was resolved that day itself,” he told TOI.
Khaleel alleged that a group of Indian students attacked them in the hostel the next day (Saturday). “They hurled abuses and threatened us with dire consequences. We are 63 Nigerians here in total. We have left the campus for the time being and are staying in Delhi,” he added.
Indian students, on the other hand, alleged they were attacked by a group of Nigerians. Sultan Khan, a pharmacy student, alleged that he was walking on the campus on Saturday when 4-5 Nigerians used expletives that were aimed at him.
“They kept raining blows on me. My friends came to my rescue, but they were thrashed with sticks and rods too,” said Sultan, who lodged a police complaint.
Both sides have lodged complaints against each other at Sohna City police station, leading to cross-FIRs. The cases have been registered under sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 34 (common intention) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC.
“There was no major incident. The two groups had an argument during a football match, which escalated into a fight. We have received complaints from both sides and registered cross-FIRs. We are scanning CCTV footage and will take action accordingly,” said Upasana, the ACP (south).
Taking note of the matter, a team from the Nigerian Embassy went to the university Saturday night and interacted with the Indian students who had allegedly clashed with the Nigerian students. Both groups have filed complaints against each other. In the meantime, the university administration has suspended eight students and ordered an internal inquiry. Local students have accused the Nigerian students of assaulting them, while the Nigerian students in their turn have alleged that a large group of local people on Friday entered the campus and thrashed them with sticks. A video of the fight, purported to be of the same incident, circulated on social media on Sunday.
The university management however has insisted that no student had left the campus. They, however, said that 10 students had been suspended for their alleged involvement in the ruckus during the Friday match.
Watch the Video of the attack
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/gX2eEMDShsY
SOURCE: TIMES OF INDIA
