India seeks probe into murder of its national in SAfrica

DURBAN: The Indian Mission in Johannesburg on Wednesday demanded a probe into the murder of a software engineer from Andhra Pradesh who was attacked by unidentified assailants last week.

Kiran Buddhe (28), a native of Arepalli village near Warangal, was on his way from work in Johannesburg last Thursday along with another professional from the state, Venkat Sridhar, when he was confronted by two armed robbers.

Four bullets hit Kiran, two in the stomach and two in the thigh. He was admitted to a government hospital at Park Town in Johannesburg where his condition deteriorated and he succumbed to his injuries yesterday.

His friend Sridhar is still recuperating in the hospital.

The Indian Vice Consul Arvinda Nanwell said that the mission has asked the police commissioner for a full inquiry into the matter.

"We have asked the Police Commissioner here to conduct a full investigation and have also taken up the matter with the Government," Nanwell said.

He said this was the first time that an Indian national had been killed because of violent crime in South Africa.

Nanwell rejected the claims that the killing had anything to do with racial attack.

"It was merely a robbery gone wrong. There have been minor incidents in the past but this is the first time that someone has succumbed to a violent attack," he said.