Indian diplomat's car vandalised in Germany

BERLIN, DEC. 12. A brand new Mercedes Benz car belonging to a senior Indian diplomat here was vandalised and damaged in an arson incident by suspected leftist elements.

The car of Mr. M.R. Reddy, Minister (Personnel) in the Indian embassy, parked outside his residence in the Kreuzberg area in south Berlin, was set on fire by some miscreants in the wee hours of Sunday, an Indian diplomat said. Mr. Reddy was former head of the Prime Minister's Special Protection Group (SPG) before taking up his new assignment in Berlin early this year.

Preliminary police investigations reveal that members of a loosely-knit leftist organisation which has slogans such as ``class against class'' could be responsible for what is being described as an ``isolated arson incident''. Kreuzberg, which is home to thousands of foreigners, is traditionally a scene of leftist protests and demonstrations.

Involvement of any neo-Nazis or ultra right extremists, who are behind a wave of attacks against foreigners in Germany, has been ruled out for the time being by the police.

``No one from the Indian embassy appears to be targeted as such,'' the diplomat said but noted that the car could have stood out from the rest because of the diplomatic number plate of Reddy's car.

Several cars parked adjacent to Mr. Reddy's car were saved from any disaster because the blaze set off by an inflammable plastic material did not affect the fuel tank of Mr. Reddy's car. Fire tenders had also quickly rushed to the spot.

- PTI

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Section  : International
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