Bengaluru police to set up ‘Hello Africa Desk’ to address African student woes

The first "Hello Africa Desk" will be opened at the Assistant Commissioner of Police office in Banaswadi, in East Bengaluru, where many African students are studying in various colleges.




The Bengaluru City police will set up an exclusive grievance redressal desk for African nationals called “Hello Africa Desk” in the city. According to the police, the desk will act as a communication bridge between Bengaluru police and the large number of Africans living in the city.

The first “Hello Africa Desk” will be opened at the Assistant Commissioner of Police office in Banaswadi, in East Bengaluru, where many African students are studying in various colleges.

Speaking to Indianexpress.com, Bengaluru City Police Commissioner Bhaskar Rao said, “The desk will be the first of its kind to be set up in Bengaluru to address the grievance of the African students in the city. They and police can interact and resolve various issues and also African nationals can get in touch with higher officials through this desk.”

On Sunday, the police department also organised ‘Hello Africa’, a two-hour-long interaction with African students. “We will also work closely with the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) to solve the issues faced by African nationals in the city,” Rao said.

According to Bengaluru police, there are 23,000 foreign nationals living in the city. SD Sharanappa, DCP Bengaluru East said, “Among 23,000 foreign nationals, around 750 to 800 have been overstaying on an average every month. Around 50 per cent of them are African nationals. The desk which we will open in the police stations will help both the African community and police department to coordinate and decrease the crime by the students. But the majority of African nationals are law-abiding, only a few people are into anti-social activities.”

Bengaluru city has a large African population in KR Puram, Kammanahalli, HBR Layout, Hennur, Halasuru and Indiranagar in east Bengaluru and Soladevanahalli, Peenya, Hessarghatta main road in North Bengaluru.

Earlier, Bengaluru Police had formed the African Peace Coordination Committee, which consisted of African students of various nationalities, police officials, FRRO officials and education department officials. Any conflict involving an African national in the city was heard in this forum.

Speaking to Indianexpress.com, Bosco Kaweesi, legal adviser, All Africa Students’ Association Bengaluru and Pan-African Federation and Students’ Union, India, president said, “This initiative by the Bengaluru police will help us a lot. This initiative is the continuation of the earlier African Peace Coordination Committee but with more approach between the police and African students.”

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