A 19-year-old German national was allegedly stabbed with blades and robbed of his belongings by a rickshaw puller and his associate in North Delhi’s Kotwali area on Friday night.
The two accused identified as Rizwan (the rickshaw puller) and Rajkishor (his accomplice have been arrested.
Following the attack, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said she has sought a report on the matter. “I have asked for a report on the attack on German national in Delhi. I have asked the Delhi Government to provide him the best medical treatment,” she tweeted.
Jatin Narwal, Deputy Commissioner of Police (North), said that the incident took place around 10:30 pm near Yamuna Khadar under the Geeta colony flyover.
This is not the first time that 19-year-old Benjamin Janis Schult was visiting India. He came to India for the first time in December. Then he came to Delhi after having a short stay in Dharamshala in Himachal Pradesh, said the police sources.
On the uneventful day he took a rickshaw from the Chandni Chowk Metro station to go to the Kashmere Gate ISBT bus stand to catch a bus to Amritsar. For one hour, the cycle rickshaw kept on cycling from different lanes in the Old Delhi area and also took another man to board the rickshaw.
A senior investigator said, “For one hour, the rickshaw puller and his accomplice kept on roaming around the bylanes of Old Delhi with Benjamin. The duo then took Schult to a secluded spot beneath the Geeta Colony flyover where they attacked and robbed him.
“The two attacked him with surgical blades. He has suffered six injuries to his face and elbow. They snatched away his mobile phone, his wallet containing around Rs9,000,” said the officer.
However, Schult, who is trained in martial arts, managed to fight off his attackers. He ran towards the loop of the flyover. Benjamin was attacked just 700 metres away from a police picket. When he reached the flyover, he tried to get help from passersby.
Two persons helped the German and escorted him to the nearest police station. Then they along with a police team rushed to the spot of the attack but found that the accused had fled.
DCP (North) Jatin Narwal said that the rickshaw has been seized and later in the evening they were arrested.