BENGALURU: A 30-year-old inebriated African national who was moving around suspiciously near Hennur Bande was assaulted by 10 to 12 locals who suspected him to be a thief on Sunday night.
The foreigner, Koulibaly alias Alex, is an Ivory Coast national and a student of computer certification at a private institution, the police said. The injured victim underwent treatment at a private hospital in Banaswadi and was later discharged. The Hennur police have registered a case.
Alex, a resident of BTM Layout, told the police that he had come to the area in an auto from MG Road. But he did not know who attacked him. Around 11.45 pm, a few locals informed the police that an African national was lying unconscious near Vaddarapalya in Hennur.
Alex has sustained injuries on his palms and head after the attack and was discharged after a brief treatment. The Hennur police said that it was not a racial attack, but filed a case of assault. Efforts are on to nab the unidentified accused, they said. "Preliminary inquiries revealed that it is not a case of racism and it was not preplanned assault," a senior police officer said.
Alex has been living in the city since 2012 on a valid student visa. Initially, he claimed that he was pursuing BBM at a private college in Banasawadi, but later told the police that he was pursuing a computer certification course. He seemed depressed and was not talking clearly, the police said. “We will take his statement again on Tuesday once he is fully recovered,” the officer said.
Bosco, the legal advisor of All African Students Association in Bengaluru, said, "I met the victim on Monday and as he was inebriated, he does not remember anything. He told me that he had gone from M.G. Road to Hennur to have a haircut. But then he does not remember anything about the incident. He remembers only waking up in the hospital. It is not a case of racism.”
