Afghan student stabbed near Goa University; one held

An Afghan student studying at Goa University was stabbed by a group of men, a police official said on Tuesday. One person has been arrested in connection with incident that took place on Monday afteron in Dona Paula area near university campus, he said.

victim, Mathihulla Aria (24), who was pursuing M.Com course at university's Goa Business School, was injured in attack and mitted to Intensive Care Unit of a private hospital in Dona Paula, official said. Panaji Police have arrested Satish Nilkan, a Maharashtra resident, for allegedly stabbing student, official said. A police complaint was lodged by Rahul Tripathi, director of foreign students at Goa University, he said.

" reason behind assault is t kwn. We are interrogating accused," official said. accused has been booked under Indian Penal Code Section 326 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means), he said.

Search was on for three or accused who were at large, he ded. Meanwhile, National Students' Union of India (NSUI) Goa chief Ahraz Mulla wrote a letter to Goverr Satya Pal Malik after incident and expressed fear of a "JNU-like situation" in Goa University.

"This is to bring to your tice recent attack on an Afghani student in Goa. law and order in state has gone for a ride and students of Goa are fearing a JNU-like situation here very soon with such attacks (coming to tice) on a regular basis," Mulla said.

NSUI, which is students' wing of Congress, said attack on Afghani student in Goa also raises questions about security of students who come from or countries to study. incident will send a "very wrong mess" to entire world about law and order of country, Mulla said. He demanded strong action against those who were spoiling harmony of Goa University and police protection in all colleges of state to prevent a "JNU or Jamia-like" situation.

Violence was witnessed recently at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in Delhi where some masked persons armed with sticks and rods attacked students and teachers and damd property on campus. Jamia Millia Islamia University in national capital also witnessed violence last month following protest against Citizenship Amendment Act.