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A mob attacked some Nigerians in the Indian city of Greater Noida, New Delhi, on Monday in what has been described as the latest example of racist violence against Africans in the Asian country.
It was gathered that the riot broke out over the death of a 16-year-old boy due to suspected drug overdose. The crowd used steel chairs to attack shoppers in a local mall.
One of the Nigerians attacked said:
We don’t know why we were assaulted, the mob hit us with rods, bricks and knives
We asked people around for help, but not one called the police. Even our college did not help
The riots broke out late Monday after police released five African students detained over the boy’s death — saying they had no evidence against them
India’s ANI NEWS quoted Daljeet Chaudhary, ADG, Law and Order, as saying that police have arrested five persons in connection to the attacks.
Local police said 10 people had been wounded, while India’s foreign minister said authorities were investigating the attacks.
“There will be a fair and impartial investigation into this unfortunate incident,” Sushma Swaraj tweeted. Africans living in India frequently face discrimination and even violence, and are often accused of involvement in the illegal drug trade.
Last year, a Congolese national was stoned to death in a dispute over an auto-rickshaw.
The latest attack stemmed from the death of a local 16-year-old from an apparent drug overdose.
Police detained five Nigerian students after a group of local people went to their home and accused them of murder. But the students were later released without charge after police failed to find any evidence against them.
An African student leader, Samuel Jack, described Monday’s attack as the latest example of racist violence against Africans in India, saying: “We are targeted because of our colour”.
He said many African students were leaving the area out of fear.