Silchar: Five students from Bangladesh enrolled at the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Silchar have been suspended for their alleged role in a violent clash on campus and will be deported, authorities confirmed on Monday.
The students, studying in India under the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) scholarship programme, were also found in possession of narcotic substances during a search of their hostel rooms, NIT Director Dilip Kumar Baidya said.
“We have gathered sufficient evidence to prove their involvement in the violence. They have been suspended for two semesters and will be sent back to Bangladesh,” he added.
The incident took place on September 8 when a group of third-year Bangladeshi students allegedly attacked fellow nationals.
According to eyewitnesses, the attackers, suspected to be under the influence of drugs, used rods, knives and screwdrivers during the assault, which lasted nearly half an hour.
Several students were injured, two of them critically, and had to be admitted to Silchar Medical College and Hospital.
Dean of Students’ Welfare S. S. Dhar said the disciplinary action was taken primarily for campus violence, but the suspected drug use also weighed into the decision.
“The students have not only been suspended for one academic year but also expelled from the hostel,” he noted.
Accounts from students suggest the violence began with the accused targeting peers from their own batch.
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When senior students tried to intervene, the attackers allegedly lured them into a room, switched off the lights, and resumed the assault with weapons.
The institute carried out an internal probe into the matter, which was later reviewed by a senior ICCR officer from Guwahati.
“We are fully satisfied with the inquiry and the steps taken. The ICCR official, who visited the campus, also expressed satisfaction with the investigation,” Dhar said.
