New Delhi: Several African nationals were assaulted in various parts of Uttar Pradesh (UP) on Monday night after a candlelight march in memory of a teenage student turned violent.
Most of the victims of the mob attack were doing their shopping near the famous Pari Chowk at Greater Noida. At least two Nigerians, who were crossing the area in a Honda City car, were seriously injured.
Later, a Nigerian youth was beaten up inside Ansal Plaza premises. He was rushed to the Kailash Hospital. Two other Nigerians were beaten up minutes later near Pari Chowk. They, too, had to be admitted to the same hospital.
Around the same time, a Nigerian was beaten up near Jagat Farm in Greater Noida. Later rumours circulated that a Nigerian girl had been abducted, but police denied any such incident had taken place.
“No such abduction happened. It is a rumour to escalate tension in the area,” Noida police chief Dharmendra Singh said.
So far, police have arrested five people allegedly involved in the violence.
The attacks on the African youth, mostly from Nigeria, happened less than a week after a 23-year-old man from Congo was stoned to death by three people in Kishangarh village near Vasant Kunj.
Last May, at least six Africans were wounded in three separate incidents in Chattarpur area of south Delhi, prompting External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj to take up the issue with Home Minister Rajnath Singh.
