Tanzanian woman beaten up, stripped in Bengaluru; Swaraj calls for stringent punishment

A 21-year-old Tanzanian girl was allegedly stripped, assaulted and paraded naked by a mob in Bengaluru on Sunday, while local police stood as mute bystanders. The woman's car was also torched and her four friends were beaten up too. The mob was reportedly incensed after another car driven by a Sudanese youth ran over and killed a 35-year-old local.

Reacting to the incident, external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj said, "We are deeply pained over the shameful incident" and that she has spoken to Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah and requested him to ensure stringent punishment to the guilty.

The 21-year-old Tanzanian, who is doing her Bachelor of Business Management course, was dragged out of the car in which she was seated along with her three friends.

The car was stopped by the mob shortly after they reached the accident spot on Sunday night, according to All African Students Union in Bengaluru.

She was stripped by a section of the mob and pushed out of a slow-moving bus that was passing by as she tried to board it to escape, the Union's Legal Adviser Bosco Kaweesi told reporters. Three others were also beaten up.

"We are deeply pained over the shameful incident with a Tanzanian girl in Bengaluru," Swaraj tweeted.

We are deeply pained over the shameful incident with a Tanzanian girl in Bengaluru.

— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) February 3, 2016

"I have asked the chief minister to ensure safety and security of all foreign students and stringent punishment for the guilty," she said in another tweet.

Swaraj said Siddaramaiah informed her that a criminal case has been registered and four accused have been arrested.

I spoke to the Chief Minister Karnataka. He informed me that a criminal case has been registered and four accused have been arrested.

— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) February 3, 2016

The Tanzanian Embassy requested the government to ensure safety and security of all African students in India.

The joint secretary told the Tanzanian high commissioner that the ministry is in regular touch with the authorities in Bangalore and that the state authorities have said they are seized of the matter and have taken action to prevent recurrence of such incidents.

According to the Bangalore police, the complaint by the Tanzanian girl was filed only on Wednesday even though incident happened on Sunday.

Kaweesi said she had no connection with the accident and alleged the police "was not so helpful" when they were approached.

Police commissioner NS Megharikh said that after the accident, which claimed the life of a 35-year old woman, the driver of the car was assaulted and he was taken to hospital.