Assam: NIT Silchar suspends five Bangladeshi students after hostel violence, orders deportation

Five Bangladeshi students studying at the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Silchar have been suspended for their role in a violent clash on campus and will be deported, officials confirmed on September 15.

The students, enrolled under Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) scholarships, were also allegedly found in possession of narcotics during a search of their hostel rooms.

“We have enough evidence to establish that they were actively involved in campus violence and have been suspended for two semesters,” NIT Director Dilip Kumar Baidya said. He added that the students would be sent back to Bangladesh.

The incident took place on September 8 when a group of third-year students allegedly attacked their compatriots inside the hostel. Witnesses claimed the attackers were under the influence of drugs and carried rods, knives and screwdrivers. 

“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 one student.

Another student described how the violence escalated: “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.”

Several injured students were admitted to Silchar Medical College and Hospital, where two remain in the ICU with severe head injuries, according to doctors.

Dean of Students’ Welfare S. S. Dhar confirmed that narcotics were recovered from the rooms of the accused. “Primarily, the action was for campus violence, but the suspected use of narcotics was also considered,” he said.

The disciplinary action includes a one-year suspension, expulsion from the hostel, and eventual deportation. A senior ICCR officer from Guwahati visited the campus over the weekend to review the case. “We are satisfied with our investigation and the disciplinary measures taken,” Dhar said, adding that ICCR authorities also endorsed the decision. (With inputs from PTI)