External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Friday took up the issue of an attack on a 23-year-old Nigerian student in Hyderabad with Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao. Ms. Swaraj also sought an urgent report from the Telangana government on the attack which took place amid outrage by African envoys here over the killing of a Congolese youth last week.
Ghazeem, 23, sustained head injuries after a man in his neighbourhood in Singadabasti locality in Banjara Hills hit him with a rod following a dispute over car parking on Wednesday night.
“I have spoken to Shri K. Chandrasekhar Rao Chief Minister Telangana regarding attack on a Nigerian student in Hyderabad,” Ms. Swaraj said in a tweet. “He has promised to take immediate and stringent action against the culprits,” she said in another tweet.
External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup said Ms. Swaraj has also urgently sought a report from the Telangana government on the incident. “I have also asked Shri Amar Sinha Secretary, ER [Economic Relations] of my Ministry to speak to Chief Secretary Telangana and monitor this,” Ms. Swaraj tweeted.
Envoys of African countries on Thursday had expressed shock over the killing of Congolese national Masonda Ketada Oliver here last week following which India assured them of the safety of African nationals.
Terming the killing of a Congolese national in the capital unfortunate, Tourism and Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma, said that even African countries were not safe.
Unfortunate: Minister
“India is a large country and such incidents will give it a bad name. It is an unfortunate incident. However, even Africa is not safe,” Mr. Sharma told IANS during an interview. “Such incidents happen in other parts of the world too.”
Pointing out that he could not go on morning and evening walks during a visit to South Africa because of safety concerns, the Tourism Minister said it was unfair to paint India as an unsafe country.
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