Seven Indians were injured in a car-ramming attack at a Christmas market in the eastern German city of Magdeburg, according to sources cited by news agency PTI. Among the injured, three have been discharged from the hospital. The Indian Embassy in Berlin is providing “all possible assistance” to the affected nationals.
The incident occurred on Friday evening when a 50-year-old man drove his car into a crowded Christmas market in Magdeburg, Saxony-Anhalt state. The attack, which German authorities have described as “deliberate,” claimed five lives and left 200 others injured.
India’s response to the attack
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) issued a statement on Saturday condemning the attack at the Christmas market in Magdeburg, Germany, as “horrific and senseless.” The MEA confirmed that the Indian mission in Germany is in contact with the injured Indians, though it did not specify their exact number.
“We condemn the horrific and senseless attack at a Christmas market in Magdeburg, Germany,” the MEA stated. “Several precious lives have been lost and many have been injured. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims,” the statement added.
“Our Mission is in contact with Indians who are injured, as well as their families, and rendering all possible assistance,” the MEA further said.
More details on the suspect
German investigators are examining whether the attack was driven by the suspect’s dissatisfaction with Germany’s treatment of refugees from Saudi Arabia, prosecutor Horst Walter Nopens told news agency AP.
While German police have not officially named the suspect, local news outlets have identified him as Taleb A., a doctor specializing in psychiatry and psychotherapy. His full name has been withheld in accordance with Germany’s privacy laws.
The doctor has described himself as a “former Muslim” and has shared posts on X (formerly Twitter) that criticize Islam. Some of his tweets and retweets also express support for individuals who have left the faith for other religions.
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