The ugly face of mob violence: Tanzanian girl attacked

African nationals were attacked in Soledevanahalli following a fatal accident involving a Sudanese national, four persons have been detained on suspicion of molesting and stripping a 24-year old student from Tanzania that night.

Karnataka : Bengaluru , 31/01/2016 Cars set fre by the residents after a serial accident at Soladevanahalli in Bengaluru

This is not the first incident... We feel very insecure venturing out on the streets. Police are trying to brush aside the attack on the Tanzanian students as a case of mistaken identity. It was clearly a racist attack.

- Bemandoo Kafumu, president, Tanzanian Students'Association, Bengaluru

"It is a very serious issue and we will not take it casually," Mr. Parameshwara told reporters

- G. Parameshwara, Karnataka Home Minister

How the events unfolded

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Sunday, January 31

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Monday, February 1

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Wednesday, February 3

Five persons from Ganapathipura were arrested in connection with the attack.

Previous incidents

• September 12, 2015: Congolese national beaten and tied to a pole for allegedly playing music loudly in his car at Kammanahalli.
• August 29, 2015: African attacked by a group after he allegedly questioned a shopkeeper for not selling cigarettes to non-locals.
• March 9,2015: 8 Africans attacked at Kothanur in separate instances. Police claimed 'road rage' triggered the attacks.
• September 21, 2014: Ivory Coast national assaulted by at Ambedkar Colony.
• July 9, 2013: Chad national,an IT professional and a church pastor, assaulted by 10 persons at Hennur.
• May 2011: African complains that he was not allowed to enter a lounge bar.
• January 31, 2010: Beheaded body of Imran Mtui, an IT student from Tanzania, found near railway tracks.

'I was beaten up for trying to rescue the girl'

“The mob was so unruly that they chased the hapless girl for more than 20 minutes, beating her up, tearing her clothes, almost stripping her.

>Assault on Tanzanian student is not a racial attack: Karnataka HM

"The incident has nothing to do with racialism as it was just a road rage that came as response to an accident."

>Tanzanian embassy writes to MEA

Ministry of External Affairs sources said the High Commission of Tanzania has sent a Note Verbale about the reported attacks.

>Why complaint was filed only on Wednesday

“Our first concern was our safety. On Monday, there were people on the streets and some local groups held protests against us (African students), and they seemed angry.

>BMTC bus driver was of no help

“I dragged the girl into the bus and pleaded with the driver to start the bus and take us away. But, he didn’t even move.

>‘Our students were not involved’

The Tanzanian students, who were allegedly thrashed by the angry mob at Soladevanahalli had nothing to do with the accident that triggered a rampage.