A Nigerian in his early thirties died under mysterious circumstances near Byrathi Cross on Monday.
Police claimed he had died in a road accident, but the African community suspects he was killed in custody.
The victim, Ifeanyi Madu alias Nwa Jesus, is from Anambra in Nigeria. Late on Sunday, a team of sleuths from the Central Crime Branch (CCB) was in Kothanur collecting information about drug peddlers.
The police said at 12.30 am, they saw two men coming towards them on a two-wheeler. As soon as they saw the police jeep, they accelerated, lost control and fell.
According to them, when the CCB sleuths rushed to the spot, one of them escaped into the darkness. The police say they don’t know if Madu was riding or on pillion.
“The man (Madu) had sustained head injuries, and we rushed him to Bowring Hospital where he was declared brought dead. As we could not ascertain the victim’s identity at that time, we informed the African community early in the morning. They came to the Bowring mortuary and identified the body,” said Renuka, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic), North Division.
Kempegowda International Airport traffic police have registered a case of accidental death due to rash and negligent driving, and seized the two-wheeler, Renuka told DH.
The police did not find any drugs on Madu, but when his mobile phone was checked, they found contacts suggesting he could be a drug peddler, an ACP rank policeman said.
“Let him be with drugs or anything, but all we ask them (police) is how did he die. There is no clear answer from them,” said Bosco Kaweesi, Legal Adviser, All African Students Association, Bengaluru.