A total of five people were arrested in connection with the Nigerian assault case in Delhi since Monday night. Krishna Kumar, the main accused was arrested on Monday.
According to Hindustan Times, the five accused have been sent to Tihar jail for fourteen days, after being produced in the court earlier in the day.
On Monday afternoon, shocking visuals of a Nigerian national tied to a pole, being beaten up by locals for an alleged theft, surfaced.
A senior police official said the incident took place on 24 September, and the African, who told the police that his name was Ahmed, was arrested. DCP South Ishwar Singh said when he was arrested, he didn’t inform the police he was beaten.
When the video surfaced, we got to know what happened. He was beaten up on suspicion of theft, there is no racial basis. Even if he was stealing, beating him is not justified.
The police said locals had earlier claimed that Ahmed sustained injuries after he slipped while trying to escape being caught. Kumar, a resident of Savitri Nagar, said the Nigerian broke into his house and tried to steal valuables from his wardrobe.
Upon hearing noises, he woke up and tried to catch Ahmed, but he tried to flee using the stairs, the police said.
Kumar claimed Ahmed fell down, following which the police were informed and he was arrested.
However, the video, which surfaced on Monday, 9 October, tells a different story.
A senior police officer said even though Ahmed had injuries, they were suspected to be because of the fall from the stairs, but with the video surfacing, they were probing the matter.
The officer said Ahmed had claimed that he belongs to Nigeria but did not furnish any documents that could help establish his identity.
After being treated, he was reportedly presented in court and a judge sent him to jail. However, the fact that he was brutally beaten came to light only after the video emerged on Monday afternoon.
Below is a copy of the FIR filed by Kumar against Ahmed, under sections of theft.
Speaking to The Quint, Samuel T Jack, president, Association of African Students in India said:
The government is denying racism, but the video is a testament to the fact that racism is real and happening in India. The law is there, why didn’t the people call the police whose responsibility it is to protect us? Why take justice in their own hands? The point is we are not secure.
Another member of the association, Lawrence, said:
How can these incidents happen in modern India? People talk of humanity, but where is it? We are doubting that philosophy now. This is jungle raj, how can there be place for this in modern India? Would this have happened if he were a white person or a Westerner? We don’t want such gifts from India, we want good gifts from India.
This is not the first instance of violence against African nationals in the capital. There were multiple cases reported of African nationals being assaulted in various parts of Delhi-NCR earlier this year.
A video of two brothers from Nigeria being attacked at a mall in Greater Noida had the African community in the city protesting the “relentless racism” they face, and displaying a reluctance to step out of their homes fearing threat to their lives.
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