Why The Serial Attacks On African Students?
PHOTO: One of the students attacked with bruises (Above) and one of the streets where attacks take place (Below)
Several African students studying in India have reportedly become victims of a series of physical attacks by unknown India national.
The President of All Liberian Students in India-Dehradun (ALSI), Kaipee Luther Newray is one of the latest victims. He was physically attacked recently by some unknown Indians in Clement Town, Dehradun City, Uttarakhand, India.
Indian Police are said to have been formally informed about the serial attacks but the motive(s) of the attackers are not yet known.
“A few minutes ago, two unknown men riding a black motorbike on the Clement Town road knocked me behind my neck with a hard object using excessive force and ran away, thus resulting in severe neckline pain,” Mr. Newray told www.newspublictrust.com over the weekend.
He said: “The strange incident occurred on Saturday, October 7, 2023, 8:45 pm, at the Hotel Shimaya junction not far from the HDFC ATM while walking from the KFC junction along with two of my Liberian colleagues, Isaac Nahn and Wilmot Freeman of the Graphic Era University.”
ALSI-Dehradun President, Kaipee Luther Newray, one of those Physically Attacked
Mr. Newray, who just obtained a Master’s of Arts in Journalism and Mass Communication from the Graphic Era Hill University (GEHU), narrated that the unknown men were dressed in black T-Shirts on speeding bike going towards Char Khumba, Post Office Road after hitting him with the unidentified item.
“We didn’t recognize the plate number on the bike due to the darkness in the area and we were unable to chase them due to the lack of bike,” he added.
The Center for National Documents and Records Agency Communications Director thinks the latest disturbing attacks by the unidentified individuals is centered on racism because he do not have any feud with any Indian person over the last two years.
“The unconventional conduct of beating on us with belts, slippers, hands and other hard objects whenever we are walking along the roadside, going to or returning from mess during evening hours is the least we expect from our Indian counterparts,” he noted.
According to him, Clement Town is becoming unsafe for Africans students attending Graphic Era University in Clement Town.
Reports say on October 6, 2023, another Liberian Student attending Graphic Era University, Samuel Nimely was also attacked by those unknown guys.
In all, eleven students of the Graphic Era University have been physically attacked in just few weeks.
They are Victor G. Geedeh, Charles Gono, Lazare S. Mutako, Aaron D. Lormie, Jessi Cyrus, James L. Kamara, Johnathan K. Moses, Oketayot G. Okech, and Mimi Jackson.
This situation is said to have instilled fear into African students studying in India, with many of deciding to stay indoors and not walk around during evening hours.
“This awkward state of affairs is capable of causing anyone their life, especially; receiving an unexpected hit from the back is dangerous beyond measures,” one of the students said.
Meanwhile, the police in Clement Town, India have launched an investigation into the life-threatening situation ongoing and they have promised to track down the perpetrators.