Tanzanian girl assault in Bengaluru: ‘Cops toned down victims’ complaints’

Students taken to Peenya hospital, locked in, phones switched off, left incommunicado, says legal adviser.

The 21-year-old second-year BBA girl student of Acharya College, who was chased by a mob, stripped and beaten up, is still traumatised and is confined to her house. She is scared to venture out as she lives in Hesaraghatta area, where she was attacked on Sunday night. The police on Wednesday said that four people, who were part of the mob that set two cars on fire, have been arrested.

“The girl has spoken to her family and it will take some time for her to get out of the trauma. But she still wishes to pursue her studies at Acharya College,” said Mr Bosco Kaweesi, legal adviser, All African Students Union in Bengaluru. “Our students will live in peace only after a reconciliation meeting between the local residents, college authorities, police, political representatives and the African community members in Hesaraghatta.”

During the earlier Byrathi Cross incident, even the home minister came to meet the victim and the African students in and around East Bengaluru have some hope of not being harmed by the local residents. But in the Hesaraghatta incident and the subsequent burning of cars, even senior police officials did not visit the spot that night or the next day.

The senior officials who visited the spot on Sunday night and Monday morning were ACP Yeshwantpura Ashok Narayan and Soladevanahalli police inspector G. Praveen Babu, said Mr Kaweesi.

Meanwhile, the student leaders are collating a report from all the victims involved in the attack to submit it to the Tanzanian Embassy. “The ambassador had called the student leaders on Wednesday and sought the FIR copies,” he said.