Two African students in Roorkee, College Director among 16 arrested

Roorkee, 17 July 2020: Two students Benjamin Djartey from Ghana and Ibrahim Diaby from Guinea were brutally attacked and beaten in Roorkee Institute of Technology (RIT) by security guards, in the presence of the college authorities on Wednesday. Both are engineering student at the college.

Roorkee Police have arrested eight more accused based on video footage in the case. Till now 16 accused in the case have been arrested including the college director. Bhim Army activists today created a ruckus at the college gate to protest against the incident.

The activists insisted on the arrest of the chairman and the burning of the effigy outside the college gate. During this time they also broke the barricading. After this, the police chased away the mob and resorted to lathi-charge in which a young man was injured. There was tension in the area for two hours. Police arrested eight security personnel today evening. The incident took place at RIT in Puhana in Bhagwanpur police station area.

Station in-charge Sanjeev Thapliyal said that action has been taken on the basis of video footage. Police identified the accused arrested today as Akash, Suraj, Gaurav, Shubham, Vishal, Shubham, Kranti. The officer said that the other accused involved in the case will also be arrested soon.

According to police, both the students live in hostels near the college campus. Both students went out without an outpass on Tuesday. This had angered the college management and security personnel who stopped them at the gate. At that time, the matter was settled. It is alleged that an attempt was made to get both the students out of the hostel on Wednesday. When the students protested, both were beaten up and dragged by college management officials and security personnel following which both foreign students were injured.

Ibrahim was admitted to the hospital. Based on a complaint from the students, police registered FIR against college chairman SK Gupta, vice chairman Sangat Aggarwal, college director Parag Jain, college registrar Munendra Chauhan, assistant deputy CEO Srikanth, besides college security personnel Sonu, Khushiram, Yogesh, Lalit, Ashish, and private guards. Police arrested Director Parag Jain, Registrar Munendra Chauhan, Assistant Deputy CEO Shrikant, security personnel Sonu, Khushiram, Yogesh, Lalit, Ashish.

Police said that the college authorities have told them that both students were rusticated from the college about a week ago for allegedly violating lockdown rule as they were always coming and going out of the hostel. The guards had gone to remove the two students from the hostel on Wednesday which led to the altercation. Police investigating is still going about the incident.