Six Africans Attacked by Mob Over Kidnapping Rumour, Rescued; No Racial Attack, Say Delhi Police

New Delhi, November 22: The Delhi police on Friday ruled out racism angle in the mob attack on six Africans that took place late on Thursday. The police said the Africans were targetted by a mob in Dwarka's Kakrola area over rumours that they were involved in child kidnapping and cannibalism. Cops said four Tanzanian and two Nigerian nationals were rescued.

According to the police, they received multiple calls against the Africans in Kakrola area. One of the callers alleged the Africans had abducted a child. The police also received a call about the attack on the Africans, after which they swung into action. "We received a call about an assembly of people. We reached the spot and dispersed the crowd," the police said. Nigerian Arrested for Drug Peddling, 8 Africans Held for Illegally Staying in India.

According to a report, around 200 people had gathered outside the building where some of the Africans live. "We rescued four Tanzanians, including two women, and two Nigerians. It was not a racial attack. The call about the abduction of a child was a hoax," the police said.

Last year, four Nigerian students were attacked in Greater Noida, 40 km away from New Delhi, following protests over the death of a class 12 student of a residential colony there due to a drug overdose. Some people who were holding a candle-light vigil for the student attacked the Nigerians, suspecting them of drug-running.

African envoys termed the attack "xenophobic and racial in nature". Reacting to the attack and the statement, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had said: "The attack cannot be called racist before any probe is completed. We are committed to the safety of the African students."

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 23, 2018 03:56 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).