Hyderabad: Within days of a barbaric assault on a Tanzanian student in
Bangalore, a 26-year-old Nigerian national was allegedly beaten up by a
mob in the upmarket Banjara Hills here on Thursday night.
While
Nigerian citizen Orolabe Ibidola lodged a police complaint stating that
he was assaulted by 15 people for no fault of his, and that it was a
racist attack, the accused lodged a counter-complaint saying that they
were themselves beaten up by three Nigerians after the two groups were
involved in a minor road mishap.
Alleging Ibidola suffered a racial
attack, the three Nigerians staged a dharna outside Banjara Hills police
station until early hours of Friday, and ended it only after cops
registered a case and promised action.
Ibidola told TOI that after
offering prayers at the local mosque in Paramount Colony in Hakimpet of
Banjara Hills, he was walking towards Tolichowki around 8.30 pm on
Thursday when a few youth standing by first hurled racial abuses at him.
When he confronted them, they punched him in the chest and took off his
shirt.
"Luckily, my neighbour was passing by and he intervened and
told the youth that he knows me after which they let me go. However, a
little later, they chased me down and beat me up again after hurling
more racial abuses," Ibidola said. "They also brandished a knife and a
shotgun. While the assault was taking place, my two Nigerian room mates
who were passing by noticed me and came to my rescue. But the mob, about
15 of them, then assaulted all the three of us," he added.
While
waiting for the cops, the three Nigerians called Nigerian Students
Association President Omobowle Sean, who rushed to the spot and alerted
the Nigerian Embassy in New Delhi. The Nigerians said they had video
recorded the assault and handed over the clip to cops.
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