Indian police recently arrested five men after hundreds of angry dwellers of a north Indian city attacked Africans with metal chairs and sticks. A local teenager had died because of probable reasons of drug overdose.
More than a dozen people got injured in these violent attacks in Greater Noida. The area accommodates more than hundred students.
Sujata Singh, a senior police officer says, “Rumours were being spread that Africans are behind the youth’s death and racist comments were made on social media. It looks racially motivated”.
She also added, “Five attackers have been arrested and four others are on the run”.
India’s foreign ministry criticized the incident as highly, “deporable” and also mentioned that they had to send assurance to Nigerian high commissioner that all steps were taken in the interest of country’s nationals.
The incident targeted many Nigerian dwellers and caused violence in the area.
Ministry’s statement says, “The government is committed to ensuring safety and security of all foreigners in India. People from Africa, including students and youth, remain our valued partners”.
For the justice for that teenager, around 500 people have assembled for a candle-lit march in Noida. They even got quite raged after spotting a group of Nigerians. A television station also showed angry mob hitting the cars with sticks.
One of the targeted student was Endurance Amalawa, who explained that he and his brother were outside a mall while they saw angry mob heading towards them. He mentioned, “We kept crying for help, but no one came, not even the security marshals. I was running but they followed me and attacked me”.
He said, “Some people were hitting us, pushing us out… they dragged my brother outside and start hitting him”.
This is not new when Africans have been hit with such violence. The incident of stoning of Conglose national also received hype when an incident on auto-rickshaw took place.
