Melbourne: In yet another attack on Indians
in Australia, a 24-year old student from the community was
severely beaten up in western Sydney, where police claimed the
assault was not racially motivated.
The violent attack on the Indian student took place on
the night of April 28, the `Sydney Morning Herald` reported
without identifying the victim.
He was repeatedly hit and kicked by unidentified
assailants but local police said the attack was not racially
motivated, according to the report.
Police said the student was walking along Amos Street,
Westmead, in Sydney`s west just after 7.30 pm local time when
he was hit from behind.
He fell to the ground and was kicked by three men who
stopped only when a passing taxi halted to help the victim.
Police crime manager Adam Phillips said there was no
evidence the attack was racially motivated.
The offenders said "nothing racial" to the victim and the
attack followed a number of robberies surrounding train
stations in the area, Phillips said.
"There have been a number of problems with people being
robbed and they (attackers) are simply belting them and taking
their phone and wallet and they`re off," he said adding there
had been "a handful" of attacks on Indian students because
they were "making themselves easy victims".
Police are now carrying out a number of operations in the
area and had already made 13 arrests for street robberies in
the past three weeks, Phillips said.
"Again, it`s because a lot of them (victims) do shift
work and are walking home to their units and they are making
themselves easy victims," he said.
"What we are doing is running operations at the moment
trying to prevent these types of attacks and, on Monday, we
are going to hand out safety flyers so they are aware of what
is going on around them."
The latest attack follows a series of assaults against
Indian students in Australia. 21-year-old Nitin Garg, who was
stabbed to death here on January 2, was the first victim of
such assaults this year.
More that 100 attacks have been reported against Indian
students in Australia since June last year.
PTI
