NIT Silchar suspends five Bangladeshi ICCR students for campus violence; to be deported

NEW DELHI: Five Bangladeshi students of the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Silchar in Assam have been suspended for their alleged involvement in violent clashes on campus and will be deported, officials said on Monday. The students, enrolled under Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) scholarships, were also allegedly found in possession of narcotic substances during a search of their rooms, NIT Director Dilip Kumar Baidya said. All five students will be sent back to Bangladesh, he said.

"We have enough evidence to establish that they were actively involved in campus violence and have been suspended for two semesters," the director said. The incident occurred on September 8 when a group of Bangladeshi third-year students allegedly attacked their compatriots. "We investigated the matter thoroughly and suspended the five students for an academic year. They have also been expelled from the hostel as part of the punishment," he said.

Dean of Students’ Welfare S S Dhar said narcotics were recovered from the rooms of the accused, which was taken into account while deciding disciplinary action. "Primarily, the action was for campus violence, but the suspected use of narcotics was also considered," Dhar said.

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Assault on Bangladeshi students

According to eyewitnesses, the five students went on a rampage, allegedly under the influence of drugs, and attacked their compatriots on the night of September 8. "They were armed with rods, knives and screwdrivers, and targeted Bangladeshi students from the final year, causing serious injuries in an attack that lasted nearly 30 minutes," said a student who did not wish to be named.

Another student said the accused initially assaulted students from their own batch. "When the seniors tried to intervene, the attackers called them to a room for discussion, suddenly switched off the lights and resumed the assault with weapons, leading to further injuries," the student recounted. Several injured students were rushed to Silchar Medical College and Hospital (SMCH).

Two of them sustained severe head injuries and were shifted to the intensive care unit, doctors said. The NIT authorities said they conducted their own investigation, with a senior ICCR officer from the Guwahati zone also visiting the campus. "We are satisfied with our investigation and the disciplinary measures taken," Dhar said. "The ICCR director from Guwahati, who visited the campus on Saturday, was also satisfied with our investigation," he added.