A 35-year-old woman in Hesaraghatta in north Bengaluru died on Sunday after being rammed by a car driven by an African (Sudanese) student. But an irate mob assaulted a 21-year-old Tanzanian student, who came to the accident spot 30 minutes after the incident. She was also allegedly stripped and assaulted by the mob.
The Tanzanian student, who is a second year BBA student of Acharya College had nothing to do with those involved in the accident. She arrived in a car half hour after the accident. A Sudanese man was driving the car involved in the accident.
The mob also burnt down both the cars, one belonging to the Sudanese man and other one that the Tanzanian woman was driving. The Tanzanian student and her friends who were travelling with her in the car was chased by the crowd.
Legal adviser of All African Students Union in Bengaluru, Bosco Kaweesi confirmed that the Tanzanian girl and the Sudanese man, who was booked for the accident, did not know each other.
Deccan Chronicle reported that the student was travelling in another car, a Wagon-R, along with four other friends and had arrived at the accident spot only 30 minutes after the incident occurred. The mob reportedly beat her, stripped her and paraded her around in the presence of the police. A bystander, who tried to help the woman, was also attacked.
"The students and her friends came in her car half an hour after the accident. The mob thought they were with the same group and forced them to come out of the car. While three of her friends escaped, she was held by the locals, stripped, beaten up and paraded on the road," Kaweesi told TNM.
Though the group of friends got into a bus in an effort to take refuge, the passengers made them get down, when the mob started assaulting them again.
"I understand local sentiments and that people were angry, but how can they beat up an innocent woman?" he asked.
He further alleged that the police also did not take the girl's complaint and instead asked her to bring the person who caused the accident when he was already in their custody.
"When someone from the crowd offered her a T-Shirt to protect her modesty, that man too was beaten up by the mob. Later, when she tried to enter a BMTC bus that had slowed down nearby, the passengers in the bus pushed her on to the road,” Kaweesi said.
The police allegedly refused to take the Tanzanian student’s complaint of assault.
Bengaluru police commissioner Megharik claims it was a case of mistaken identity. However, the police are not able to give any explanation why they refused to file an FIR on Sunday.
Four people were arrested on Wednesday evening for burning the cars and five for the assault on the Tanzanian.