ISLAMABAD: The Pakistani student in India`s Pondicherry University who was attacked by people inside his hostel room is returning to Pakistan after Indian authorities have given him permission to travel back home.

Ali Hassan Raza flew to New Delhi from Chennai. On Friday he was scheduled to catch a flight to proceed to Lahore, the New Indian Express reported.

In a telephone conversation, Raza said the Indian home ministry had permitted him to return to his country, adding that he was being escorted by personnel of the Pondicherry police. He said the case was still pending and if his presence was needed he would return to India and cooperate with the investigation.

Raza said he was returning to Pakistan after achieving his goal of securing a postgraduate degree and after creating goodwill among Indians. `I am the victor. Those who tried to detract me are the losers,` he remarked.

He said he would look back at the attack as just another bad dream.

Three men had attacked Raza when he was sleeping in his room at the Sir CV. Raman Hostel on Tuesday, beating him with iron rods and liquor bottles. He sustained injuries on his head, neck and back.

Raza was doing a postgraduate course in South Asian studies. He was the first and only Pakistani student to have enrolled at the Pondicherry University.-APP