Mob tore return flight ticket, says African national

An Ugandan woman’s return ticket was allegedly torn and her bag packed with gifts for her son was ransacked on the controversial midnight ‘raid’ by Law Minister Somnath Bharti in south Delhi’s Khirki Extension last week. When the mob failed to find drugs in her bag, she was told not to shop for her son and leave the country as soon as possible.

The woman, who is in India for a medical treatment, was taken to Malviya Nagar police station over allegations of involvement in a prostitution and drug-peddling racket, but was released within hours.

She claimed that she was sleeping in her room when over 10 people armed with sticks knocked on the door around 2 am. Five persons allegedly entered the room without her consent after which she was slapped and asked to produce her passport.

“She was told to show her bags, but no drug was found. Her return ticket was also forcibly taken out and torn during the raid,” sources said. Only children’s clothes were in the bag, which she had brought for her son back in Uganda. The group also beat her up and threatened to kill her.

“The woman tried to call police, but was not allowed to make a call,” sources added. She was further told that she would not be helped by police as she was ‘black’.
Her roommate has also made similar allegations and claimed that the mob told to remove her clothes and some people even touched her private parts. They were later dragged out of the house and forced into a car.

Another woman claimed that she was ‘detained and manhandled’ while returning home from Gurgaon in a taxi with her sister around 1.30 am. She alleged that the mob forced the taxi to stop near Sai Baba Temple, and they were told to come out after which she was kicked in her back. She and her sister were the first two women, who were “caught red-handed after a chase by police”.

Five women have made the allegations against Bharti, his supporters and some local residents. The Aam Aadmi Party, however, claimed that police were with Bharti and his supporters, except for a brief period.