the goan I network
PANAJI
A murderous assault and stabbing of an Afghani student of the Goa university by a group of local youth late on Sunday evening along the Taleigao plateau has raised the spectre of a possible hate crime but police played it down and termed it a “scuffle” in the heat of an argument.
Matiulla Ari (24) the first year Master of Commerce student was stabbed in the back and narrowly escaped an injury to the kidney.
He is admitted to the ICU of Manipal hospital where he is in a critical condition, hospital sources said.
Panaji police have arrested one Satish Nilkanthe (29) who they managed to identify as one of the youth involved in the assault based on the photograph of the scooter which the victim Ari had managed to click on his cell phone.
Ari reportedly had a fall on his bike and the group of four youth who eventually attacked him initially helped him get to his feet.
But as they engaged with him in conversation and began probing his identity, the group of youth turned aggressive after they learnt he was an Afghani student at the Goa University.
According to an account of the incident from one of Ari’s classmates, also an Afghani student, who got the distress call from the victim, the attackers began questioning how he came to own a locally registered bike when he is a foreigner.
The foursome began accosting Ari and even snatched his bike keys. They however relented only after he threatened to call the police. But in that reprieve, Ari called his friend at the Boys Hostel instead of the police and was stabbed by one of his four assailants before any help could arrive.
Screaming in pain and calling for help, Ari managed to attract the attention of an
| elderly couple living in the vicinity. The couple gave him a towel with which his stab wound was wrapped and also gave him water, according to the version of Ari’s friend. Professor Rahul Tripathi, who officiates as Director of Foreign Students at the Goa University, rushed to the hospital along with the hostel warden after they were called by Ari’s Afghani companions.
Tripathi also lodged a two-page handwritten complaint with the Panaji police who have booked the FIR under section 326 of the Indian Penal Code which deals with the offence of causing grievous hurt with a weapon.
Police sub-inspector Akshay Parsekar, who is investigating the case downplayed the incident saying it is a scuffle in the heat of an argument.
Parsekar said, they have arrested Nilkanthe but the weapon used to stab Ari has still not been recovered adding that he is being interrogated and more arrests are likely soon.
The officer, however, did not say how many youth were involved in the episode but admitted there were more than one suspects.
