Fuel depot staff rescue Congo man from car boot

BENGALURU: Alert employees of a petrol bunk saved the life of a Congolese man, who was stabbed and being transported in the boot of a car, at Hennur Cross, northeast Bengaluru, on Wednesday night, after he raised an alarm.
The car had stopped at the fuel depot for a refill. Hearing screams from the boot, the employees swung into action. They pulled out a badly injured Imanual Lonja, 31, a resident of Kannur village and studying management in a private college, from the car.

Alerted by the bunk employees, Bagalur police rushed to the scene, but the attackers managed to flee. Police took Lonja to Victoria Hospital, where he is being treated for severe injuries.

Lonja told police his friend and another person, identified as James from Nigeria, had an argument over a financial issue on Wednesday night at Challakere and he had intervened on behalf of his friend.

“After the incident, I returned home. Four Africans barged into my room at 7am. They objected to my interference and administered electric shocks to me using a water heater coil, stabbed me in the head, hands and back. They dragged me out and bundled me into the boot of their car, saying they would kill me,” Lonja said.

Police said they have arrested two men, Michael Williams and Robert Osara, both from Nigeria and aged about 25 years. “A few others are at large and we will arrest them soon,” a police officer said.

Police later learnt that Lonja had on Wednesday stabbed a friend, Kparagume from Nigeria, during the altercation. Michael had on Wednesday night filed an atttempt-to-murder complaint with Hennur police.