The Saudi
ambassador has been urged to cooperate with India over allegations that one of
his diplomats sexually assaulted and imprisoned two Nepali maids. Protests have
broken out in India's capital over the claims.
Deutsche Welle, 10 Sep 2015
The two
women, aged 30 and 50, told police that recruiting agents lured them from their
homes in Nepal under the promise of higher wages. They were hired and supplied
to the Saudi diplomat in April. Police rescued the women on Monday after a
third maid saw their condition and informed a local NGO.
"They
raped us, kept us locked up, did not give us anything to eat...When we tried to
run away, we were beaten up," one of the women told to the NDTV network.
She added that they had been held at the apartment near New Delhi for around
four months.
The accused
diplomat in the suspected rape case has since claimed diplomatic immunity and
the Saudi embassy is urging India to drop the case.
According
to Indian media outlets, the Saudi embassy has denied the accusations, saying
it "strongly stresses that these allegations are false and have not been
proven." Saudi Arabia also claims that Indian police broke international
conventions by entering a diplomatic property.
India's
foreign ministry "conveyed [a] request to Ambassador Saud Mohammed Alsati
on Thursday, however, asking for his cooperation "in the case of two
Nepali citizens," ministry spokeman Vikas Swarup said on Twitter.
Indian
police also said on Wednesday that they were pushing ahead with the
investigation.
MEA Chief of Protocol called in Saudi Amb today, conveyed request of Haryana Police for coopn of Embassy in the case of 2 Nepali citizens
— Vikas Swarup (@MEAIndia) 10 september 2015
The charges
have created diplomatic tensions between the two countries ahead of Indian
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's planned state visit to Saudi Arabia later this
year. Modi will seek to secure an investment from the rich, oil state and to
expand in the energy sector.
Crowds were
also seeing protests outside the Saudi Arabian embassy in New Delhi on Thursday
in response to allegations.
ksb, rs/kms (AP, AFP, Reuters)
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