Afghan students ‘attacked’ by tourist guides in Shimla
: Five Afghan students were allegedly assaulted by some local tourist guides in Shimla after an argument on Saturday night.
The incident occurred when the students, who were waiting for a private Volvo bus, got into a heated exchange with the tourist guides. The students had reportedly booked tickets for a Volvo bus, that was plying illegally, through some unregistered tour and travel
agents. Though the students had paid for the tickets, they were denied seats in the bus, following which the students got into an argument with the local guides.
The three students were hospitalised in Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC) for first aid. In their statement, the Afghan students alleged that some local tourist guides hit one of them from the back.
Haroon Faizzadah, an Afghan national and a student of Himachal Pradesh University (HPU) said the accused even stoned his phone.
On the complaint of these students, the police have registered a case under Section 323 (punishment for voluntarily causing hurt) and 506 (Punishment for criminal intimidation) of the Indian penal Code (IPC) against eight persons. Shimla SP DW Negi said eight Sirmaur residents working here as tourist guides have been arrested.
EIGHT PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ARRESTED; FIVE HAVE BEEN SENT TO POLICE REMAND, WHILE THREE OTHERS WILL BE PRODUCED BEFORE THE COURT ON MONDAY
“Five of the accused have been sent to five-day police remand and three of them will be produced before the court on Monday.”
Negi said he would visit the hostels where these students are living to make them feel safe. The police also checked the CCTV footage in which entire incident was recorded. He added that the police would provide security to these students if they want. There were reports that some of the tourist guides have approached Afghan nationals for compromise.
Zahidullah, another Afghan student, said that at first twothree people attacked them and then some more people came in a vehicles. “We were just demanding seat for which we had already paid the money,” he said, adding, “I don’t know whether the bus service was legal or illegal.”
“Our former president Hamid Karzai was also student of HP University, it is a peaceful town but these kind of incident sends wrong message and we are in a state of fear,” said another student Samiul Haq Ahmad.