Pet dog row: Saudi diplomat assaulted in Delhi park

New Delhi, Nov 5: A Saudi diplomat was allegedly roughed up by some local youth for taking his pet dog into a park in the posh enclave of Safdargunj in New Delhi recently.

The diplomat had been unable to read the sign at the gate in Hindi which stated that it was prohibited to take dogs inside the park. The Delhi Police are yet to make any arrests, according to the latest media reports.

Identified only as Abdul Rehman, a secretary rank officer working with the embassy in New Delhi, had gone to a community park with his pet dog for an evening stroll when the incident occurred.

“A man came and started yelling at Abdul Rehman in Hindi, so he requested him to speak in English as he couldn't understand Hindi,” reports quoted a senior police officer as saying.

In his complaint, the victim told the police that a man informed him that dogs are not allowed inside the park and showed him the signboard. The man later threatened to call the police. But he brought his friends instead.

“The victim later informed the youths that he is a diplomat and also showed his identification card. As he was about to leave, two other miscreants joined them and asked him to leave the spot as well as the country immediately,” the police officer said.

Subsequently, when the victim walked out of the park, the miscreants attacked him and one of them held him by his neck and started punching him. When the victim resisted, he was allegedly pushed to the ground and beaten up, reports said.

There were about 40 onlookers at the scene but none came forward to rescue the diplomat, the officer said. “The victim somehow managed to escape and informed his personal staff about the incident,” he added.

According to media reports, the victim was taken to a nearby hospital where he received treatment and was later discharged.

A case has been filed at the Safdarjung Enclave police station. The miscreants have been identified as members of the Resident Welfare Association and investigators are collecting evidence to prosecute them, according to the police officer.