Pakistani student assaulted in Pondicherry

Puducherry: A Pakistani student doing Masters at the Unesco Madanjeet Singh Institute for South Asia Regional Cooperation (MISARC) in Pondicherry Central University was assaulted by an unidentified gang in his hostel room in the early hours of Tuesday. The 24-year-old student sustained injuries on his neck and back. He was first treated at the nearby Pondicherry Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) before being shifted to Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (Jipmer).

“Ali Hassan Raza hailing from Kasur near Lahore and pursuing M.A. in South Asian Studies at the MISARC was sleeping in his room in the Sir C.V. Raman Hostel with the door open when a three-member gang sneaked in and attacked him with iron rods. The incident occurred at around 3.30 a.m”, senior superintendent of police (law and order) Om Vir Singh Bishnoi told this newspaper.

He said preliminary investigation indicated that the gang members could have been drunk and entered into a scuffle with Raza. They fled after the attack, said the SSP, adding that their motive was unclear.

The police have launched a hunt for the fugitives, who were in the age group of the victim.

Raza claimed he had no problems with anyone in the university. But the fact that his attackers had brought iron rods to hit him indicated to the possibility of premeditated assault.  “I am at Jipmer. Scanning has been done and I am doing fine. I am getting back to the hostel now and will be flying back to Delhi and then to Pakistan”, he said.