In yet another case of alleged racial attack against Africans, a 23-year-old Nigerian student was hit by iron rods in Hyderabad. The student was allegedly thrashed by a Hyderabad resident following an argument over parking space.
The incident took place on Wednesday and a case was registered under Section 324 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The accused has been arrested.
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has sought a report from Telangana government over the incident.
Union Minister VK Singh sought to cool down the tempers and said that the Centre is firmly committed that such incidents "cannot be forgotten". "The government of India condemns a heinous crime like this. It was a crime, it is not premeditated, not racial," he said.
When asked about sensitising programmes demanded by African envoys, Singh said that the move has been initiated by the Indian government.
"We have told the envoys that we carry out a sensitisation drive. Yesterday the External Affairs Minister (Sushma Swaraj) tweeted. We will do it as per the convenience of our African Heads of Missions. We will go around talking to people. We will assure them that their safety is our concern," he said.
The Indian community staying in Africa, particularly in Congo, have been told to be careful. Several protesters had taken to the streets in Congo's capital Kinshasa demanding appropriate action from the Indian government into the murder case of Olivier.
Olivier was a French teacher at a private institute in Delhi. He was allegedly beaten to death by the three men while he was returning from a friend's house in south Delhi's Vasant Kunj area on the night of May 20.
While Olivier's friend and other African nationals in the area who rushed to his rescue alleged that the attack on Oliver took place on racial lines, senior police officials denied the allegations and claimed that this was not an incident of hate crime.
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