India hopes that attackers at home of Indian Consul General is arrested soon

NEW DELHI: The Ministry of External Affairs on Sunday night stressed that ensuring safety and security of Indian diplomats and officials posted abroad, and their families is a matter of highest priority for the government in the backdrop of armed burglary at the home of the Indian consul general in Durban, Shashank Vikram.
The MEA said that the matter has been raised with the relevant authorities and hoped that the intruders would be arrested soon.

MEA Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said, "Ensuring the safety and security of Indian diplomats/officials posted abroad, and their families is a matter of highest priority for us. In the context of the above incident, we have taken up the matter with the relevant authorities, and investigations are currently ongoing. We expect that the intruders will be arrested soon. External Affairs Minister has spoken to the Consul General and inquired about the well being of his family."

India has reminded South Africa after the incident, through its consulate in Durban, that it is the duty of the host country to protect foreign diplomatic staff and property as per the Vienna Convention.

The South African Department of International Relations and Cooperation spokesman, Clayson Monyela, called the incident “unfortunate”. “It is a reality crime happens. It is not like certain people are targeted. Our diplomats are also victims of crime. We hope whoever was behind it is arrested and brought to book,” he told South African press.

ET was first to report on Saturday that a gang of armed robbers ransacked the home of the Indian consul general in Durban, Shashank Vikram, and held the family hostage, in the first such incident faced by an Indian diplomat in Africa.

ET has learnt that eight robbers armed with guns and crowbars forced their way into the consul general’s official residence, India House, in Morningside in Durban, and held his five-year-old son hostage last Thursday afternoon.

Indian diplomats have faced the ire of terrorists in Afghanistan and have been caught in crossfire in civil wars in Africa, but this was the first such case of a major burglary. Although Indian diplomats have been targeted by miscreants and burglars on the streets of South Africa, this was the first instance where the house was targeted.

This incident happened despite protection offered to the consul general’s house by SAPS’ VIP Unit, a private guarding company, according to people familiar with the matter.

The development came as a shock as the diplomat and his family had a comfortable stay in the city so far and had in many ways considered it their home, officials said.

Armed response officers arrived only after about 15 minutes of the alarm being activated and police arrived only after Vikram had called them. The local authorities are investigating and adequate security is being provided to diplomatic establishments in Durban, including India House. A domestic help’s mobile phone, which was taken by robbers, could be located and could provide clues, according to officials.

The intruders had burst into the India House after overpowering a guard. Vikram’s spouse, Megha Singh, and their two young children were home at the time. Accordingly to local media reports their five-year-old son was held hostage by the robbers, who also snatched away jewellery.