Government to repatriate student assaulted in India

Raza underwent treatment for head and neck injuries in Puducherry.

NEW DELHI/ ISLAMABAD:

A Pakistani student, who was brutally assaulted in the southern Indian state of Puducherry earlier this week, is being pulled out of the neighbouring country, officials said on Thursday.

A senior diplomat posted in New Delhi told The Express Tribune via phone that the Pakistani High Commission had arranged Ali Hassan Raza’s return to the country.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, he revealed that Raza is expected to arrive in the country today (Friday).

“He is travelling from Chennai to New Delhi on Thursday night and will arrive in Pakistan on Friday via Kuwait,” the diplomat added.

Following the incident, Pakistan’s High Commissioner to New Delhi, Abdul Basit also spoke to Raza and his family back in Pakistan, assuring them that steps would be taken to ensure his safe return.

The official also disclosed that the high commission had raised the issue with the Indian External Affairs Ministry and demanded that the culprits be brought to justice.

According to details available with The Express Tribune, around 15 Pakistani students are pursuing studies in various Indian universities. But a majority of them are enrolled in the South Asian University, New Delhi, sources said.



Raza, a 24-year-old international relations student, was sleeping when three unidentified men barged into his room and attacked him with steel rods. The attackers fled when nearby students arrived to rescue him.

With injuries on his head, neck and back, Raza underwent treatment at Puducherry Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) and Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (Jipmer) after the attack.

Raza said that he was being facilitated by Indian authorities and that police were looking for perpetrators.

The student emphasised that he was never discriminated on the basis of his religion or nationality while studying at the Pondicherry University.

According to police officials, a majority of students had vacated the hostel and left for their homes as the academic year had ended and results were announced.

Police believes that the attack was orchestrated by those students who stayed back in the hostel. However, it may take some time before culprits could be identified, the sources said.

Meanwhile, university authorities claimed that security for the Pakistani student and inside the campus was beefed up following the incident.

The Puducherry unit of the Students Federation of India (SFI) condemned the attack on Pakistani student Ali Hassan Raza by a gang of unknown persons inside his hostel room.

SFI secretary A Anand said the incident revealed a grave security lapse on the part of Pondicherry University authorities.

“It is a matter of great concern that a student of our neighbouring country and our guest is not safe inside one of the Central Universities of the country,” he added.

Anand pointed out that there had been several incidents in the past few months where the university failed to ensure safety for students.

“The university should conduct a flawless probe into the matter and nab the culprits,” he added.

Earlier this month, three Kashmiri students were beaten up by a group of local students for refusing to shout slogans against Pakistan at a university in Noida.

Similarly, in the ongoing cycle of hate, dozens of Muslim students from Indian Kashmir were expelled from their university and briefly threatened with sedition charges because they cheered for the Pakistani cricket team during a televised match against India in March this year.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 16^th, 2014.