Azamgarh terror taint renders Lucknow students homeless

Lucknow, Oct 8 (IANS) Nearly half a dozen students of the Lucknow Arts College have suddenly found that no one is willing to let out rooms to them, for they are from Azamgarh, the district that has lately been linked to suspected terrorists.

These are among the 15-odd Muslim as well as Hindu students from eastern Uttar Pradesh - which houses Azamgarh - for whom no paying-guest accommodation is available.

'After being evicted by their landlords, these students have approached us. But as our college hostels are under renovation, we cannot provide a permanent solution to their problem,' college Principal Rajeev Nayan told IANS.

'Considering our moral responsibility, for the time being we have decided to accommodate these students in a guest house of the Lucknow University, which governs our college,' he added.

These students, their bags and baggage in tow, met Nayan Tuesday evening, officials said.

The students are enrolled in different undergraduate and postgraduate courses, including bachelor and master of fine arts, they added.

They have been in a spot ever since Azamgarh was found to be the hometown of two suspected terrorists who were killed for alleged involvement in the Delhi serial bombings of Sep 13.

'We are just paying the price for no fault of ours. Our association with Azamgarh is coming in the way of getting rooms on rent,' said Ajeet Kumar, a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) student.

Kumar, who hails from Azamgarh town, was staying as a paying guest in a house here in Daliganj locality.

Mehar Vandan is another student looking for a rented room in the city though he does not belong to Azamgarh. 'As my roommate belonged to Azamgarh, our landlord directed both of us to leave his house as early as possible,' said Vandan.

'After giving a deadline of seven days, he (landlord) finally forcibly evicted us from his house in Daliganj Tuesday morning,' added Vandan, who is pursuing BFA.

In the last two months, nearly a dozen youths hailing from Azamgarh have been sent to jail in connection with serial bombings in various cities.