Sumedha Sharma
Gurugram, October 16
Tension gripped GD Goenka University campus as Indian and Nigerian students clashed on football field on Saturday evening, leaving six of them injured.
While the student groups have filed cross FIRs against each other, the university has suspended eight students and marked an inquiry.
The Nigerian students are reportedly leaving the campus after being “harassed” by locals though the university denies the same. Fearing for their life, Nigerian students have sought embassy’s intervention.
“We have for long been harassed by local students who hurl abuses and threaten us. Locals came to GD Goenka University hostel armed with weapons and started attacking us. We were brutally thrashed yesterday evening. We have fled to Delhi and asked embassy officials to intervene,” said Rabiu who has filed FIR.
A cross FIR has been filed by a pharmacy student, Sultan Khan, who alleged Nigerian students ganged up and beat them up. The university, however, says the matter is being blown out of proportions and students brawled on football field.
“It all started on Friday when the students were playing a friendly match and an argument started over substituting a player. The issue was resolved and it cropped up during yesterday’s match and they fought over it. One student was hit by a blunt object and five six others suffered minor injuries. We have asked eight students who have been identified on CCTV to proceed on leave. An inquiry has been marked and will get report by Tuesday,” saidDhirendra Singh Parihar, registrar at the university.
This is not the first time that an issue has escalated between Indians and Nigerians students. The two groups had an altercation few weeks ago over offering Namaz on football field.
