8 arrested over assault on Nigerian students in India

Indian police

Eight persons involved in the assault of two Nigerian students at Roorkee Institute of Technology, Bhagwanpur college, India have been arrested by the police.

The arrested persons include the director of the private engineering college, five security guards, registrar and a non-teaching staff.

Station house officer, Bhagwanpur police station in Haridwar district, Sanjeev Thapliyal said Nigerian student Francis Koyang made a complaint last Thursday which led to the arrests, Hindustan Times reports.

Two Nigerian BTech second-year students studying at the institute were beaten up by men alleged to be the college guards after exchanging words for going out of the campus for dinner without a pass. A video of the incident had since gone viral.

It was gathered that the school administration had not granted passes since March due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Police said one of the two students is now recovering in a hospital.

Following protests by local students, villagers and National Student Union of India (NSUI) in support of the Nigerian students, circle officer Mangalore Singh said security has been beefed up in the college area with CCTV footage being monitored as well.