Tanzanian girl stripped, beaten in Bengaluru; 'deeply pained' says Sushma

[email protected] (News Network)
February 3, 2016

Bengaluru, Feb 3: The African students in north Bengaluru closed ranks on Wednesday as details emerged of a mob of locals allegedly attacking and stripping a Tanzanian girl in the neighourhood on Sunday.

The 21-year-old girl who had been attacked met with top police officials on Wednesday to narrate what the mob had done to her. She gave her statement at the DCP's office in Peenya.tanzanian

As the details spread, community leaders were constantly in touch with their fellow nationals and relayed the safer routes they should take when commuting between their homes and colleges.

"We are now scared of every Indian around us after what happened to me," the 21-year-old student of a city college told mediapersons at Sapthagiri Hospital, where she was taken for a medical test by police.

External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj took note of the incident and tweeted, "We are deeply pained over the shameful incident with a Tanzanian girl in Bengaluru."

She asked the state government to ensure the safety and security of all foreign students.

Earlier, in a note verbale, Tanzania high commission asked the external affairs ministry to take strong legal action against those who assaulted the girl.

Bengaluru police on Wednesday registered a case under 354 IPC (outraging the modesty of a woman) against unidentified persons.

Four locals were taken into custody later in the evening.

The girl's nightmare unfolded around 7.30pm on Sunday when she and her three Tanzanian friends were going in a car in Ganapathinagar, off Hesaraghatta Main Road. Almost 2km away and about 30 minutes hour earlier, a car driven by a Sudanese student had run over Shabana Taj, 35, who had been walking with her husband, electrical contractor Sanaullah.

A mob allegedly comprising locals, who were rioting following the accident, stopped the girl's car. "We got out of the car and there were many people around. There was a policeman standing nearby and I asked him what had happened. He said nothing. A friends rushed to me and asked me not to walk around. By then, the mob started hitting him," she said.

"They pushed me around and hit me. I was wearing a T-shirt. They tugged at it and tore it, leaving me literally without anything. They continued to thrash us and we ran for our lives. My friends and I hopped onto a bus. The driver didn't move and the other passengers threw us out. We were at the mob's mercy. A passerby who offered me a T-shirt was also attacked. They thrashed us again till we took shelter near some shops," she said.

The mob, meanwhile, had set ablaze the car.

As they made their way to Sapthagiri Hospital, the mob chased them. Even at the hospital, the mob allegedly threatened to storm the hospital if the Africans were not sent out.

Police sources said they took the girl's statement on Wednesday, confirming there's been a three-day delay in acting on the incident.

African student leaders condemned the killing of the woman in an accident involving a Sudanese student but said the law should take its course. However, attacking innocent people based on their ethnicity should not be tolerated, they said, adding that the matter has been taken up with their embassies too.

"A woman has died and those responsible for the accident should be brought to book. But these students had nothing to do with it," said Bosco Kweesi, legal adviser to the African students.

A leader of the Tanzanian association, said she and some of her friends rushed to the police station Sunday night, seeking help to take their injured compatriots to hospital. "They plainly refused to come to our help or accept our complaint.. Police already had one of our fellow nationals who was in no way connected to the accident in their custody. A policeman told us that 'you all look alike and your fellow national will be set free only if you bring the guilty African car driver'," she said.

Comments

mohammad.n
 - 
Thursday, 4 Feb 2016

She asked the state government to ensure safety and security of all FOREIGN STUDENTS. What about indian students safety? What about indian ladies safety? What about justice for raped indian girls?

Worst ruling indian government, nothing less than a british rule before independence, worried about foreigners rather than the Indians which should be the most priority.

Mohammed SS
 - 
Thursday, 4 Feb 2016

Sushma Didi, show more and more pain as you want BJP govt. in Karnataka, there Is no such pain in your backyard for criminal acts and incidents where your party is ruling... apply Burnol deeply in to your backyard

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
coastaldigest.com news network
July 11,2020

Mangaluru, Jul 11: Deputy Commissioner Sindhu B Rupesh has set up an expert committee to look into the cause of deaths of covid patients in Dakshina Kannada.

The development comes after eight more fatalities including that of a CISF personnel attached to MRPL, were reported in the district on Friday.

The district has recorded 23 deaths since July 1 and 38 death cases have been reported in the district since April 19.

Of the 38 deaths, five were from outside the district. All the eight patients, who lost their battle to the virus in the district on Friday, were suffering from co-morbidities.

According to the govt bulletin on Covid-19 cases, comorbid conditions, like kidney failure, brain tumour, TB, pneumonia, liver damage, high BP, diabetes and others, were the main reasons behind the Covid-19 deaths reported in the district.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
April 28,2020

Bengaluru, Apr 28: A CRPF jawan has been arrested in Karnataka for allegedly defying the COVID-19 lockdown norms with the paramilitary force taking strong exception to his 'ill treatment', following which an inquiry has been ordered by the state police.

State DGP Praveen Sood has ordered inquiry into the incident, which has triggered a row after a video of it went viral.

In the clip, some police constables are purportedly seen hitting CRPF soldier Sachin Sawant with sticks in Belagavi.

According to the information shared on social media, Sawant was washing his bike when a police team reached the spot and started beating him up for not wearing a mask during the lockdown.

Taking a serious view of the 'ill-treatment' meted out to its Cobra Commando, the CRPF has written a letter to the Karnataka police demanding an investigation into the matter.

In a letter to the DGP of Karnataka, the additional Director general of police of CRPF Sanjay Arora said Sawant was cleaning his bike when a skirmish happened between him and the police over not wearing the mask.

Arora wrote, "Sawant was manhandled and ill-treated, before his family members and paraded to the police station barefoot, where he was kept in chains and handcuff.

From the scrutiny of a viral video on social media, it is apparent that the conduct of police personnel was not citizen centric."

The CRPF ADGP also said the 'unpleasant' situation could have been avoided if the Karnataka police had taken CRPF hierarchy into confidence before making the arrest.

In response, Sood ordered an inquiry into the matter.

He tweeted that IGP Belagavi has been asked to conduct a probe into the incident involving CRPF constable. Action will be taken against guilty after receipt of report, he said.

According to sources, Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai has directed the state police chief to conduct a detailed inquiry into the incident.

Denouncing the arrest, Karnataka Irrigation Minister Ramesh Jarkiholi has sought the release of the CRPF jawan.

"It was wrong on the part of the constables to ill treat CRPF jawan and an inquiry be conducted against the erring policemen," said jarkiholi in a press release.

However, Superintendent of Police of Belagavi district, Laxman Nimbargi defended the arrest of Sawant.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
January 9,2020

Bengaluru, Jan 9: Some BJP workers created a ruckus on Wednesday at a college here while seeking support for the amended Citizenship Act by raising slogans like 'Go back to Pakistan' outside the campus on Wednesday, as girl students opposed a pro-CAA banner on the wall of their institution.

A video of the incident went viral on social media.

A group of BJP workers, supporters of local party leader M M Govindaraj, had put up a poster "India Supports CAA" on the wall of Jyothi Nivas College near Koramangala.

This was opposed by girl students, who said they would not allow any such poster to be put up on the college property.

The BJP workers then tried to shout down the students.

"You are not concerned about citizenship, you are concerned about yourself. You should be concerned about India first. You are not an Indian then," a BJP worker is heard screaming at the girls in the video.

They also questioned the students if they had valid reasons to oppose the Citizenship Amendment Act and sought to know whether they wanted an argument or a debate.

The BJP workers purportedly told the girls that they were only the students of the college and not the owner.

"What's your problem madam with the CAA? Are you the owner of the college?" they asked.

Amid the heated argument, the BJP workers resorted to sloganeering like 'We want CAA' and "Go back to Pakistan', as seen in another video shot by the students.

BTM Layout Congress MLA Ramalinga Reddy visited the college on Thursday after learning about the incident and spoke to its management.

Later, he told reporters that the campus should not be allowed for any political activities.

"Any signature campaign whether in favor or against it (CAA) should be done outside the campus," Reddy said.

He cautioned the pro-CAA protesters he will not let any violent incidents like the one at Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi happen at the city college.

Reddy's daughter Sowmya Reddy, who is the Jayanagar MLA, tweeted, "A few videos & photos of outside #JyotiNivascollege are being circulated on social media."

"MLA Ramalinga Reddy & I have spoken to cops and the Prinicipal about this incident. Spoke to DCP South East Bengaluru and she said that Koramangala cops went there immediately & they are picketing even now," she added.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.