African student attacked, 3 Hennur residents held

Bengaluru: The animosity between African students and the local residents continued in East Bengaluru after three people attacked an African student over a trivial issue recently. The Hennur police detained the three accused after the incident escalated into full-blown tussle between ‘foreigners’ and ‘local residents.’

Pisse Hotto, an African student, stopped near a shop in Hennur to buy some cigarettes. But he was told that there was no stock of cigarettes.

Just as he was leaving the shop, he noticed that the shop owner was giving away cigarettes to a group of local residents who came by just then. Noticing the discrimination, he questioned the shop owner. The local residents tried to defend the shop owner and heated arguments ensued. Quickly the quarrel turned physical.

Pisse claimed that he tried to run away and tried to get into a wine shop to escape from his attackers. But he was chased away. He later ran up the stairs of a building, but he was thrown out by the residents. He finally managed to take shelter in a house, where a woman stopped the mob from running after him, said Bosco, a member of the African Students Association in Bengaluru.

“The mob tried to threaten the woman as well, but she stood her ground and said she would call the police,” said Bosco. Pisse, who had sustained injuries, fell unconscious and was rushed to a nearby hospital.

On Thursday, the police detained three locals for allegedly assaulting Pisse. The Kothanur police, based on the information given by Pisse’s girlfriend Marian, have registered a case of assault and are investigating.