PANAJI: The Panaji police on Tuesday arrested two more persons in the Afghanistan national student Matihulla Aria (24) stabbing case. Police arrested Desmond Diogo Fernandes and Suresh Basavraj Mageri, both residents of Taleigao. The police had arrested Satish Nilkante from Maharashtra on Monday night. The fourth accused is still at large, police said. Matihulla, a first year M Com student of Goa University was chased by a group of four persons on two-wheelers and attacked with a knife at Taleigao on Monday late evening. "The incident was purely a clash between two groups which have nothing to do with the Goa University," the police said adding that the accused have been remanded in three days police custody by the judicial magistrate first class (JMFC), Panaji. Rahul Tripathi, director of foreign students at the Goa University has filed the police complaint. Meanwhile, the student unions on Tuesday condemned the attack on Afghani student and have demanded stern action against the assailants. The Goa unit of National Students Union of India (NSUI) on Tuesday met DIG and submitted a memorandum to him regarding the matter. NSUI Goa president Ahraz Mulla wrote a letter to Governor Satya Pal Malik after the incident and expressed fear of a "JNU-like situation" in the Goa University.
The law and order in the State has gone for a ride and students of Goa are fearing a JNU-like situation here very soon with such attacks (coming to notice) on a regular basis. The incident will send a "very wrong message" to the entire world about law and order of the country, Mulla said. Mulla has demanded strong action against those who were spoiling the harmony of Goa University and police protection in all colleges of the state to prevent a "JNU or Jamia-like" situation. Goa Youth Forward president Raj Malik tweeted, "The assault on foreign student studying at Goa University not only brings a bad name to University, but also to entire #Goem (Goa). We demand that Goa police should intensify night patrolling where ever there are hostels. Goa University and Goa Engineering College are at high risk always".
Vedanta workers meet Speaker submit memo to deputy collector Hate crime, say foreign students Some of the foreign students studying in Goa University on Tuesday charged that the knife attack on Afghan student was the result of hate crime. They told reporters that the attackers were not known to the victim and were hurling abuses on the victim asking him why he had come to their country? Condemning the incident, these post-graduate students said that they were now feeling insecure and demanded police protection to them. Abdul Basit, an Afghani student said that Aria was part of 35 students from Afghanistan who are pursuing various courses in Goa University under the Indian Council of Cultural Relations (ICCR).