4 More Held In Tanzanian Woman Assault Case; Envoy Backs Steps

Bengaluru: Tanzanian High Commissioner to India on Friday backed the steps taken by the government in connection with the alleged assault and stripping of a Tanzanian student in Bengaluru even as four more persons were arrested and two police officials suspended.

Flying in from Delhi, a team from comprising Tanzanian envoy John W H Kijazi, also the Dean of the African Diplomatic Corps, and External Affairs Ministry officials yesterday met state officials to get their account and African students in a confidence building measure.

Emerging after meeting state Home Minister G Parameshwara and Home Department officials, Mr Kijazi said,"We are very much impressed with the action already taken."

"We must focus on the future. We believe that the local communities and the African community can live in harmony," he said.

To a question if he was ruling out racism, the envoy said, "We have not come here to discuss the issues of racism.I am looking at the current situation and the future."

Nine persons, including four last night, have so far been arrested ever since the Sunday night incident in which the 21-year old Tanzanian student faced mob fury in vigilante justice after a Sudanese driving a car in an alleged drunken state struck a couple, killing a woman on the spot.

Inspector Pravin Babu had been suspended for dereliction of duty and Constable Manjunath for not taking action even though he was present at the spot, Bengaluru Police Commissioner N S Megharikh said, as police faced intense heat amidst accusations that they did not act promptly and swiftly.

The four accused were arrested last night and booked for assault, unlawful assembly, arson, rioting and outraging a woman's modesty, Commissioner Megharikh said.

Police said they were interrogating the suspects and some more people might be arrested.

Asked whether one of the arrested was a member of BJP, Megharikh said, "He is a panchayat member."