UPDATE: 2:46 p.m. IST — Five persons have been arrested by the police in connection with the alleged attack on African nationals on Thursday night in the Mehrauli area of south Delhi, ANI said in a tweet.
FLASH: Police arrest 5 people in connection with attack on African nationals in South Delhi case.
— ANI (@ANI_news) May 29, 2016
According to the Times of India, four other persons have also been detained in connection with the attack.
Original Story —
A week after Congolese national Olivier was bludgeoned to death in New Delhi's Vasant Kunj, seven African nationals, including four women, were allegedly attacked within a span of half an hour in south Delhi's Mehrauli area on Thursday night.
The Hindu reported that the mob, consisting of about 10 to 15 people, hurled racial abuses at the African nationals and allegedly beat them up with iron rods, cricket bats and sharp-edged weapons. The victims claimed that the attacks were pre-planned, however, the police have denied the claim and described it as a "scuffle" between two sides.
The incident took place in a bylane in Rajpur Khurd village between 10.30 p.m. and 11 p.m., the police was quoted by the Indian Express as saying.
Nigerian national Leuchy reportedly got into a scuffle with a group of men around 10.30 p.m. He claimed that the group attacked him and his friend without any reason.
Kenneth Igbinosa, a priest at a local church, was driving home with his wife Kate and their four-month-old son Blessed, when a group of men stopped his car and smashed the windshield, the Telegraph reported.
"They yelled something in Hindi. Several others joined them and attacked me with sharp planks of wood. I got back in and drove off to save my wife and baby. They smashed my windscreen and rear screen as I drove to my brother Jason's place (in Rajpur Extension)," the daily quoted Igbinosa as saying.
This was reportedly the third time Igbinosa was attacked. His car had earlier been damaged in March. He was also attacked last October by some men who were harassing his sister.
His brother Ola Jason, an actor who has shot for Dangal and Sultan slated for release this year, was repairing the tyres of his smashed car when he got a call from Igbinosa, the Telegraph reported.
"I rushed to my place. My brother had cuts on his arms and his shirt was torn," Jason said.
Ugandan national Vicky and her brother Pierre were attacked with bats and rods while returning home from AIIMS hospital, according to the Telegraph.
We asked help from locals but no one came forward to save us," Cameroon national Shamira, who along with her friend was attacked while returning from a church, was quoted by the Hindu as saying.
As reported by the Times of India, the police registered three cases for assault and criminal confinement though none of the Africans suffered severe injuries.
The police reportedly denied the attacks being pre-planned or racial and said that they were trying to identify the attackers.
"Local residents had a minor scuffle with Africans as they had been playing loud music at late night hours by the Africans. The other reason was drinking in public places which the locals had objected to," the Hindu quoted Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) Ishwar Singh as saying.
