Nigerian national tied to a pole, thrashed with sticks by locals in Malviya Nagar

A Grab from the purported video of the assault.

A Nigerian national was tied to a pole and beaten mercilessly, allegedly by locals, in Malviya Nagar on September 24, with the video of the incident going viral on Monday. Locals alleged they caught the man, Ahmad, after he stole from a house. The man, swollen and bleeding, was later sent to jail.

The house owner, Krishan Kumar, told police that he woke up to the sound of his almirah being opened, and raised an alarm. Kumar claimed that the man tried to flee the building from the main gate, but was intercepted by his brothers, Prem Chand and Madan Singh. Locals who had gathered at the spot then allegedly tied Ahmad to a pole and assaulted him with wooden sticks.

Three videos, purportedly of the incident, show the man begging for mercy and bleeding, even as locals rained down blow after brutal blow on him.

Krishan’s daughter Ankita claimed, “He entered the house from the terrace on the fourth floor. He had a bag with some tools. He came into my father’s bedroom and was looking for money when my father woke up.”

Eyewitnesses said more than 40 people gathered at the spot and the assault went on for about an hour — until police finally arrived. Mithlesh, Ankita’s aunt, said her 15-member family woke up during the incident. “When he went out of the building, several people had caught him and were beating him. If a thief enters your house, do you think he will be spared?” she said.

Kumar, in his complaint, said, “The man was trying to escape and he slipped. My brothers and some locals caught him outside the main gate.”

After he was caught, Ahmad was made to stand at the pole with his hands placed on his waist, while the mob rummaged through his pockets. They then allegedly tied him to the pole and hurled abuses at him. Some of them fetched wooden sticks and handed it over to two people in the crowd, who started beating him. One person lifted Ahmad’s feet while two others struck his soles. He took several hits to the hands and feet, and started bleeding from the head.

“Where were you? Why are you here so late?” one of the members from the crowd asked him, as the beating began.“I apologise. Please leave me,” he pleaded as one man responded: “Ab kya karenge tere sorry ka? Koi compromise nahi hoga.”

The assault stopped after a PCR call was made around 4.10 am. A police team reached the spot and took him to the hospital. He was later charged under IPC sections 380 (theft), 457 (lurking house trespass or house break-in by night) and 511 (punishment for attempting to commit offences punishable with imprisonment for life). He was produced before a court and sent to jail.  DCP (south) Ishwar Singh said after the attack came to light, they arrested Kumar under IPC Section 308 (attempt to commit culpable homicide).