A group of ruling party cadres severely stabbed a resident student of Rajshahi University (RU) on Saturday night allegedly as he protested mobile phone snatching.

Protesting the attack, several hundred resident students of Nawab Abdul Latif Hall staged demonstration on the campus till midnight and demanded immediate punishment to the attackers.

Following the incident, Motihar police arrested 10 people suspecting their involvement in Saturday's attack.

The injured was identified as Shamal Hossain, a third year student of Mathematics department. He was admitted to Rajshahi Medical College and Hospital (RMCH) after giving primary aid at the university medical centre.

Sources said, a group of cadres led by Sujon, a local and Juba League activist of the university, severely beat up and stabbed Shamal in front of university Binodpur gate at around 9:00pm as he protested his younger brother's mobile phone snatching by Sujon.

They said, on Friday night, Sujon along with his aides took away a mobile phone set

and Tk 500 from Shamal's younger brother Minarul Islam, a second year student of Applied Mathematics department of the university.

Witnesses said, a gang led by Sujon, younger brother of Binodpur unit Juba League secretary Shahidul Islam, also beat up Shamal with iron rods and stabbed him with a knife.

Hearing the news, friends of Shamal went to the spot and took him to the university medical centre. Later Shamal was shifted to RMCH as his condition deteriorated due to stab injury.

At around midnight, several hundred residential students of Latif hall staged demonstration and brought out a protest procession on the campus demanding immediate punishment to the attackers.

RU proctor Prof Chowdhury Muhammad Zakaria rushed to the students' hall and assured them of immediate action against the attackers as the protesters gave him a 24-hour ultimatum.

The students also threatened to go for strike on the campus if the university authorities failed to take any step within the deadline.