Today, Friday, March 22, a delegation headed by Afghanistan's Consul General in Mumbai, Zakia Wardak, visited Gujarat University in Ahmedabad and held a meeting with its vice-chancellor regarding safety protocols following an assault on foreign students last week, reported PTI.
Vice-Chancellor of the university Dr Neerja Gupta informed the reporters that the delegation expressed satisfaction regarding the actions undertaken by university officials to ensure student safety after the incident. The VC said, "It was a courtesy meeting after the incident. We told them the university has taken several steps to protect the students. The delegation was satisfied with the measures taken by us."
Afghan Consul General says students here live like brothers-sisters
The Consul General met the students of Afghanistan and took stock of the situation. She told reporters that the situation is now under control. "We met the Vice-Chancellor as well as our students. They (students) told me everything is fine. There is nothing to worry about. My students have been studying here for the past five years and they live here like brothers and sisters to everybody. So we don't have any bigger concerns," expressed Wardak.
She added that the Indian government has been supportive towards the cause of the foreign students throughout.
Previously, on March 19, a delegation from the African nation Gambia visited the Gujarat University campus and convened a meeting with VC Gupta regarding the matter.
What had happened previously?
During the night of March 16, more than 20 individuals forcibly entered the government-run university's hostel and attacked foreign students who were performing namaz in one of the blocks for Ramzan.
According to police reports, two individuals from Sri Lanka and Tajikistan were admitted to the hospital following the incident.
After the attack, the university took measures to relocate foreign students to a different wing and further enlisted ex-servicemen to increase security around the campus, as per a PTI report.
Furthermore, a foreign student advisory committee was formed, along with assigning of an ex-Army personnel, to strengthen security at the hostel premises.
