Gujarat University Plans "Sensitivity" Drill For Foreigners Amid Namaz Row

Gujarat University will be holding orientation sessions for its overseas students to train them in "cultural sensitivity", Vice-Chancellor Dr Neerja A Gupta said today, hours after a mob stormed a hostel and attacked foreign students for offering namaz inside the premises.

Five international students were injured in the mob attack last night. Police have registered an FIR and formed nine teams to search for those in the mob. Ahmedabad police commissioner GS Malik has said strict action will be taken against those involved in the incident. Gujarat University has about 300 overseas students.

Vice-Chancellor Dr Gupta told the media that there was some tension between those in the mob and some overseas students, and yesterday's events led to an escalation. "The matter is under police investigation now," she said.

Dr Gupta said that since these students are from overseas, they need to be trained in "cultural sensitivity". "These are foreign students and when you go abroad, you must learn cultural sensitivity. These students need an orientation. We will sit with them, provide cultural orientation and discuss how to strengthen their security."

The international students have said there is no mosque on the campus, so they had gathered inside the hostel to offer taraweeh - a namaz offered at night during Ramadan. Soon after, a mob armed with sticks and knives stormed the hostel, attacked them and vandalised their rooms, the students have alleged. The students have said the security guard of the hostel tried to stop the mob, but failed.

A student from Afghanistan said people in the mob raised slogans and asked them who had allowed them to offer namaz in the hostel. "They attacked us inside the rooms too. They broke laptops, phones and damaged bikes," he said.

The student said the five injured students include one each from Afghanistan, Sri Lanka and Turkmenistan and two from African countries. The injured students, he said, had informed the embassies concerned.

In one of the videos, a youngster in the mob is heard asking a security guard, "Why are they offering namaz, is this the place?" At this point, a student screams, approaches the youngster and attacks him. Some users on social media have claimed this triggered the mob violence.