Five held for attacks on Nigerians in Greater Noida

New Delhi/ Greater Noida: The police arrested five men on Tuesday after a group of angry residents in Uttar Pradesh’s Greater Noida attacked four Nigerian students with sticks and metal chairs the previous night following the death of a local teenager from a suspected drug overdose.

Union external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj also spoke to UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath who promised a fair and impartial investigation into the incident. India’s foreign ministry also termed these attacks “deplorable”.

Residents in Greater Noida, a satellite city of New Delhi, took out a candle-light march Monday after 17-year-old Manish died last week in a suspected drug overdose case.

The march was taken out after the police released some Nigerians detained for questioning in connection with the death of the class 12 student due to “lack of evidence”.

Nigerian high commission officials are also understood to have met their injured nationals and said they felt “unsafe”. A senior high commission official said the mission was in touch with the external affairs ministry on the issue.

India’s foreign ministry spokesperson Gopal Baglay said the government was committed to ensuring the safety and security of all foreigners in India, and people from Africa, including students, remain “our valued” partners.

Noting that law enforcement authorities have made arrests and are investigating the matter, he said, “They are also taking necessary steps to keep the situation under control.” Senior MEA officials also spoke to the acting high commissioner of Nigeria here to discuss the steps being taken by local authorities for the safety and security of Nigerian nationals, Mr Baglay said.

Earlier, in a series of tweets, foreign minister Swaraj said, “I have spoken to Yogi Adityanath ji about the attack on African students in Greater Noida. He has assured that there will be a fair and impartial investigation into this unfortunate incident.”

She was responding to a tweet from a student who requested her to “act fast as living for us in Noida is becoming a life threatening issue”. Noting that the protesters became violent during the march and started beating up Africans they saw on the road, Greater Noida SP Sujata Singh said, “They also went to Ansal Mall and caused havoc and beat up Africans there. “The police then rescued them and moved them to a safe place,” she said.    

“The police had to use force to dissuade people from attacking and arrested five people from the spot. Many of them who were there trying to play mischief have been identified as the entire event had been videographed,” Daljit Chaudhary, ADG Law and Order, told reporters in Greater Noida.

He said an FIR has been registered against nine named people, besides others, and action will be taken accordingly.