Melbourne: After a brief lull in attacks
on Indians in Australia, three members of the community were
"brutally bashed" by a group of around 70 youths, including
women, who were attending a birthday party in a bar here after
making racist remarks against the trio.
26-year-old Sukhdip Singh, who arrived here a month
ago on a spouse visa, his brother Gurdeep Singh and uncle
Mukhtair Singh were attacked by the group when they were
playing pool in a bar in Epping suburb on Saturday.
"At around 11`o clock my brother-in-law Sukhdip was
playing pool along with his family members when they were
attacked by around 70 locals who were attending a party," the
victim`s relative Onkar Singh said.
"They were quietly playing and were trying to avoid
trouble even after these locals were trying to provoke them by
passing comments," he said.
The group started telling them to go back to their
country. "When they reached the car park to leave the place a
huge crowd attacked them and started bashing them brutally.
The attackers were in their teens and around twenties," he
said.
When contacted, a Victoria Police spokesperson said that before the incident took place, a woman made a racist
remark to a group of four males playing pool at Legends Bar.
"A short time later, the pool-playing group decided to
leave the venue. It is believed they were followed into the
car park by up to four males who were part of a larger group
celebrating a birthday in the function room," the spokesperson
said.
It has been alleged the Indians were set upon and
seriously assaulted by a group of Australians. Police attended
and arrested four males who were taken to Epping police
station and interviewed in relation to assault and affray.
All the four have been released pending further
investigations.
While police were on scene, they observed about 15
males and females, also from the larger group celebrating the
birthday, made racist comments and one female from the group
threw water on a bystander.
After police removed the victims from the scene, the
larger group continued with their threatening behaviour and
racist remarks.
However, Onkar claimed police have informed him that
six of the 70 attackers have been arrested.
The attacks come a month after Australian Government
assured External Affairs Minister S M Krishna, during his
visit here, that Indian students will be protected. Around 30
Indian students were attacked in various cities from June to
August.
Govt seeks details
As Indians again became a target
of violence in Australia after a brief lull, External Affairs
Ministry today sought a report from its Mission there amid an
emphasis that more needs to be done to prevent such
occurrences.
The Consulate in Melbourne has been asked to give a
report on the alleged incident in which three Indian youth
were badly thrashed in an apparent racist attack, official
sources said here.
India, which has been concerned over the attacks, has
been assured by the Australian government at the highest level
that it would take steps to ensure safety and security of
Indian nationals in that country.
The Australian government has taken steps, like
increasing police patrolling, to prevent the attacks, the
sources said, adding that more needs to be done.
India will continue to monitor closely the developments,
they said.
Bureau Report
