FIVE expatriate men have been remanded in police custody in connection to a ‘mob assault’ on two Bahraini security guards.
The men, suspected to be Bangladeshi nationals, appeared at the Public Prosecution yesterday where they were questioned in connection to charges of assault.
The arrests were made after video footage of the incident went viral on social media, showing a large group of expatriate men attacking the two private security personnel.
The incident has led to widespread condemnation on social media, with MPs voicing their concerns and demanding swift action.
The brawl happened when the expatriate men were questioned by the security guards for washing discarded vegetables and illegally selling them on the streets of Manama.
The guards were on duty for the Capital Trustees Authority to monitor illegal street vendors.
During questioning by the Public Prosecution yesterday, the suspects were confronted with the video footage as evidence and have been remanded in custody for seven days pending an investigation.
Capital Governorate Prosecution head Adnan Fakhroo said the investigation was still ongoing to apprehend the rest of the culprits.
“Five men have been arrested following an investigation in connection with a video that was posted on social media that showed Asian men attacking two security guards,” he said in a statement yesterday.
“The security guards were appointed by the Capital (Trustees Authority) to report on street vendors – the security guards were assaulted while on duty.
“The defendants were remanded in custody and will be charged with assault.
“An investigation is ongoing to arrest the rest of the culprits and refer them to stand trial.”
The suspects could be jailed for up to three years if found guilty of the assault charge.
Meanwhile, a senior Bangladeshi diplomat has strongly condemned the actions of his nationals, who appeared in the video attacking the security guards.
Bangladesh Embassy labour consul Shaikh Tahidul Islam told the GDN yesterday that the mission has pledged its full support to the Bahraini authorities in arresting the assailants and deporting them.
The embassy has also issued a public announcement on its social media platforms, in which it denounced the actions of the men.
“We are really upset about this incident,” Mr Islam told the GDN yesterday.
“These are already tough times and we don’t want such issues to further harm the conditions of our people.
“Such acts put the entire community under a bad light and the embassy is totally against such violations.
“We have left a notice to the community on our Facebook page in this regard and we are with the Bahraini government to catch the culprits and to send them back home.”
However, he said the embassy has not been contacted by any official body with regard to the incident.
“But we pledge our support in helping the government to get these men arrested at the earliest,” he added.
The GDN has repeatedly reported on illegal street vendors washing discarded vegetables with dirty water or picking food from trash bins and reselling them.
Videos have also emerged showing men selling vegetables washed in water that drains from air-conditioners and kept in boxes in unclean surroundings in the alleyways of Manama.
noorz@gdn.com.bh
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