Qamaruddin, Hayal and Bilal from Syria, Jilani and Al Ameen from Sudan and Sadique from Kerala studying in various colleges in the city were arrested for the assault, police said.
The incident took place near a bar here late last night after a quarrel over negligent driving, police said.
Though the students fled the scene after the incident to their paying guest apartment, the locals came back with more people and broke into the apartment.
In the quarrel that followed the students allegedly attacked them with knives, police said. The injured have been hospitalised. Hospital sources said that they were out of danger.