DU, JnU students assaulted in Lalmatia; one stabbed

Four students of Dhaka University (DU) and Jagannath University (JnU) were allegedly assaulted -- one of them stabbed by a group of youths in the capital's Lalmatia area on July 29.

One of the victims, Sazid-Ul-Islam, a student at DU's Faculty of Fine Arts, filed a case with Mohammadpur Police Station in this connection yesterday, Sub-inspector Saiful Islam confirmed to The Daily Star.

According to Sazid, the incident took place around 8:45pm on July 29 when he went to a field in Lalmatia Block-D to meet friends after attending an exhibition at Shafiuddin Gallery. He was accompanied by Tasmiya Tabassum Nebula, a DU law student.

At the field, they were joined by Anurav Ashraf Rajjo, a JnU mathematics student, and Rafidul Haque Rahim, another fine arts student.

All on a sudden, a group of 10 to 12 young men approached them, threw one of their bags, and asked them to leave.

"When we protested, they started threatening us," Sazid told The Daily Star.

"I asked why they threw the bag. We told them we could leave, but they shouldn't behave that way. Suddenly, they started punching us. One of them stabbed my friend (Anurav)."

Anurav received treatment at a city hospital, Sazid mentioned in the case.

The case named 12 individuals; SK Abir, Mimon Khan, Siam, Minhaj, Shukur, Sajjad, Ekramul, Sujon, Bayezid, Sumon, Hridoy, and Yasin and also mentioned 13 to 14 unidentified others.

According to the case statement, the gang beat Sazid on the instruction of Abir, while Mimon, Yasin, Sumon, and Sujon directly attacked him. When Anurav attempted to intervene, Abir allegedly stabbed him in the back with a sharp weapon, causing serious injuries. The other students were also beaten indiscriminately and suffered injuries in different parts of their bodies.

As locals tried to intervene, the attackers threatened them and fled the scene.

Sazid reported the incident to police on August 1 but the case was formally filed two days later, he said.

Sub-inspector Saiful Islam, who is the investigation officer of the case, said no arrests have been made yet.

"We are conducting drives to arrest the accused," he said.