Vadodara : Foreign Students Brutally Attacked for Smoking at Religious Site

Vadodara : Vadodara was rocked by a shocking case of mob violence on March 14 when four foreign students from Parul University were brutally assaulted by a group of locals in Limda village. The students had ventured near a lake for a casual evening walk, unaware that their actions would soon provoke a violent backlash.

According to reports, the foreign students were smoking cigarettes while sitting on the rooftop of a religious site near the lake, which enraged a group of villagers. A confrontation ensued, escalating into a horrifying assault as nearly ten attackers armed with bats, wooden sticks, and stones launched a brutal attack on the students. One student suffered critical injuries and collapsed on the spot, while the others sustained serious wounds. The incident was captured on video, which quickly went viral, leading to swift police action.

Attack on Foreign Students Shocks Vadodara

The four students, all residing in the hostel of Parul University, were identified as:Sufay Kangwan Ruttan (Thailand) – Second-year BCA student,Odwa Andrew Abbas Andre Watari (South Sudan) – First-year Petroleum Engineering student,Tange Evenilson Thomal (Mozambique) – First-year Petroleum Engineering student, and Mohammed Alikhalif Khalif Mohammed (United Kingdom) – First-year Cardiology student

According to the police complaint, the students had visited the lake near Limda village in Waghodia during the evening of March 14, as it was a public holiday for Dhuleti. Sitting on the rooftop of a religious site near the lake, they were seen smoking while wearing slippers. This act was perceived as disrespectful by some villagers, who confronted them and asked them to stop.

What started as a verbal disagreement quickly spiraled into an act of mob violence. The locals, claiming the students had repeatedly disrespected the religious site, took matters into their own hands. Armed with sticks and bats, about ten men began thrashing the students, even pelting them with stones. The attack left one student unconscious, while the others managed to escape with severe injuries.

Victims Rushed to Hospital; Police Respond Swiftly

The injured students were immediately taken to Parul Sevashram Hospital, where they received emergency medical treatment. The condition of Sufay Kangwan Ruttan, the Thai student who was critically injured, remains serious.

As the horrifying video of the assault went viral, authorities were forced to act swiftly. Waghodia police, led by PSI AJ Patel, launched an investigation and arrested seven suspects, including two minors. However, the minors were later released. The total number of accused stands at ten, with efforts underway to apprehend the remaining suspects.

Legal Action and University Response

A formal police complaint was registered by Ashushig alias Ashok Nadesig Rajput, a resident of the Parul University teaching staff quarters. The police have booked the accused under serious charges, including attempt to murder, unlawful assembly, and assault with deadly weapons.

The university administration has condemned the attack, calling for justice for its students. The incident has raised concerns about the safety of foreign students in Gujarat, highlighting the need for greater cultural awareness and protection for international students studying in India.

A Call for Cultural Sensitivity and Student Safety

This shocking incident has once again brought attention to the rising cases of mob violence and cultural intolerance in India. While the villagers claim their religious sentiments were hurt, the act of taking the law into their own hands has been widely condemned.

With Vadodara hosting a significant number of international students, this incident serves as a grim reminder of the challenges foreign students face, not only in adapting to cultural norms but also in ensuring their safety. Authorities have assured that strict action will be taken against the perpetrators, and additional measures will be considered to prevent such incidents in the future.