Canisius Mushibwe
Dozens of Indian properties have been looted in Kinshasa in retaliation of the death of a Congolese student while in custody of an Indian police post.
Joël Malu, 27, died in the hands of police last week, but Congolese citizens did not take the news lightly as more tension continued to surge between Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the Indian community in that country.
African diplomats have complained in the past about racism against their citizens living in India, especially in the aftermath of the beating death in 2016 of a Congolese man in Dehli.
Kinshasa police confirmed that the mob looted shops, warehouses and torched three cars.
The situation was triggered after rumors spread of another Congolese national who had been killed in India and so far three protesters have been apprehended in connection to the vices.
Protest erupted outside India’s Bangalore police post where Malu died, making students from at least six African countries demonstrate.
Businesses and vehicles belonging to Indians were torched in the capital city of Kinshasa on Thursday.
Local Indian police reported that the deceased died in custody on Monday after suffering cardiac arrest when all efforts to resuscitate him proved futile.
He was detained two weeks ago based on allegations of possessing a small quantity of banned narcotic pills.
But the irate demonstrators denied the police claim that Malu had died of cardiac arrest and started a scuffle with the Indian Police.
