African woman beat, kicked by cabbie in Greater Noida

Pic courtsey: Facebook/Association of African Students in India

Greater Noida: In another attack against Africans in Greater Noida, a young Kenyan woman alleged that she was assaulted by a taxi driver here on Wednesday.

The Uttar Pradesh Police has identified the woman as Maria Burendi.

Burendi was coming from Delhi after meeting a friend and was allegedly attacked near Knowledge Park area at around 4.30 am.

The woman claimed that the driver of the cab, in which she was travelling, beat and kicked her in the abdomen without any prodding.

The woman was rushed to a hospital for a medical examination. She was discharged after first aid.

Police have registered a case and are investigating to identify and nab the woman's attackers.

"The woman did not register a complaint. We are trying to persuade her and get the FIR registered. We are also working on identifying those involved," Abhinandan, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Gautam Budh Nagar, told IANS.

Four Nigerian students were on Monday night attacked by a crowd near Pari Chowk in Greater Noida and two more were beaten up inside a shopping mall.

The attack took place after protests over the death of Manish Khatri, a Class 12 student in Greater Noida's NSG Society.

Khatri on Saturday died of cardiac arrest due to suspected drug overdose. The police said three FIRs were registered.

Five suspects have been arrested and over 1,000 booked, police officer Avinish Dixit told IANS.

According to Dixit, the police had received a complaint from an association of Nigerian residents in Greater Noida.

The two assaulted Nigerians -- Endurance Amarawa, 21, and Precious Amalcima, 24 -- were taken to a hospital with facial injuries and minor fractures. Doctors have ruled out any danger to their lives.

"We were shopping in Ansal Plaza on Monday evening when suddenly a mob attacked us viciously. We tried to enter a showroom to save ourselves," Precious Amalcima, who is pursuing graduation in political science from Noida International University (NIU), told reporters at the hospital on Tuesday.

Endurance is a first year BA-LLB student at the university.

External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Gopal Baglay termed the incident "deplorable".

Baglay said Minister of State for External Affairs MJ Akbar spoke to Nigeria's Acting High Commissioner and assured him of steps being taken for the safety and security of that country's nationals.

District Magistrate NP Singh in Gautam Budh Nagar on Tuesday held a "peace meeting" with some Nigerians, police and civil officials, local resident welfare associations, students and representatives of colleges and universities of the area.

Singh, according to a statement, assured them that the administration was committed to the safety of foreign students and said the incidents had "blemished the image of India where thousands of foreign students come to study".

(With Agency inputs)