Guwahati, Sep 16 : Five Bangladeshi students, who were suspended by the authorities of National Institute of Technology (NIT) in Assam's Silchar, were sent back to their homes, officials said on Tuesday.

Dilip Kumar Baidya, the director of NIT, told IANS, 'We have taken strict actions against five students from Bangladesh, studying under Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) scholarships, after they were found involved in violent clashes on campus earlier this month. Following their suspension, all five students were sent back to their homes in Bangladesh as they will not be able to attend classes here.'

The students, all in their third year, were also found in possession of narcotic substances, officials said.

The institute's director, Prof. Dilip Kumar Baidya, confirmed that they have been suspended for two semesters.

'We have adequate evidence to establish their involvement in the violence. They have been suspended for one academic year and expelled from the hostel. Since they cannot continue their studies here, they have been repatriated,' Baidya said.

The incident took place on the night of September 8, when a group of Bangladeshi students allegedly attacked their compatriots. Eyewitnesses said the accused, reportedly under the influence of drugs, went on a rampage armed with rods, knives and screwdrivers, leaving several students injured.

The assault, which lasted nearly half an hour, resulted in two students being admitted to the Silchar Medical College and Hospital with serious head injuries.

S.S. Dhar, dean of students' welfare, said narcotic substances were recovered from the rooms of the accused.

'The primary reason for disciplinary action was the campus violence, but suspected drug use was also considered,' he noted.

According to students, the attackers first targeted peers from their own batch before turning on senior students who tried to intervene.

Witnesses alleged the lights were deliberately switched off during the assault to intensify the attack. The institute carried out an internal inquiry, while an ICCR officer from the Guwahati zonal office also visited the campus.

'We are satisfied with the investigation and the disciplinary measures taken. The ICCR director who came down was also convinced, so there was no need to involve the police,' Dhar said.

/IANS