African nationals attacked in Delhi speak up: ‘They were shouting, go back to your country’

“I was returning in my car with my wife and child after attending a church meeting in Fatehpur Beri. It was really dark as there were no streetlights in the area. As soon I entered the lane in which my house is located, a group of people blocked the road and started banging their fists on my car. Some of them were carrying sticks and iron rods. One of them hit the windshield with a cricket bat, and it broke. My wife and I were injured… but we had to save our child. I immediately took an U-turn and sped out of the lane. Once I was out of the area, I called up police,” said Igbinosa.

Vikky, 30, Ugandan national

Brother Pierre, 35, Living in Delhi for a year, Runs a cargo business

“Pierre was unwell and we were on our way back after visiting a doctor. When the auto-rickshaw stopped outside my house, a group of at least 10 people, most of them residents of the same locality, started shouting at us. They were saying ‘go back to your country…go back to your country’. When my brother asked them why they were shouting, two of them attacked him… they punched him and hit him on the head with an iron rod. My brother asked me to run… but I fell down. One of the attackers started kicking me on my stomach. Somehow, both of us managed to get inside my house and locked the door. We were so scared that we didn’t even call our friends. I lost my mobile phone in the attack,” said Vikky.

Shamira, 28, Cameroon national

Her friend who did not wish to be named, Living in Delhi for three years, Shamira runs a local shop

“I had just shut my shop when I heard a commotion outside. I found people beating up some African nationals. When we tried to intervene, the attackers started hitting us,” she said.

Leuchy, 29, Nigerian national

Living in Delhi for two years, Pursuing BBA from Amity College

“I was standing outside my house with my friend when a group of men attacked us with sticks and stones. I tried to run but one of them grabbed me from behind. Two of them hit me with sticks and one of them hit me on the face with a stone,” said Leuchy.

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