Indian taxi driver assaulted by passenger in Australia

Natasha Chaku
Melbourne, Jan 15 (PTI) In yet another attack on
Indians in Australia, a 24-year-old taxi driver has been
allegedly abused and assaulted by a passenger and his vehicle
damaged in the Victorian city of Ballarat.

The 48-year-old passenger was arrested after he
attacked the cabbie last night, an AAP report said adding that
the Indian taxi driver did not receive any major injuries.
After he was verbally abused by the passenger, the
cabbie sought refuge at a Ballarat service station at about
2.15 am (local time) but the passenger followed him into the
service station and allegedly assaulted him, a police
spokeswoman was quoted as saying.
The taxi was also damaged in the incident, she said.
A man from Navigators, near Ballarat, was arrested at
the scene and remains in police custody, the AAP report said.
He is expected to be interviewed by police later on Friday.
Meanwhile, in an exclusive report in 'The Age',
Indian Minister of State for External Affairs Shashi Tharoor
has pointed out two main areas of concern.
He said first, Australia has a crime problem in the
suburbs that it must attend to, and second, India was within
its rights to speak out when its citizens face danger.
"The whole racism issue has really coloured this
debate in an unhealthy way, because when our media either
seizes on that, or the Australian media in turn respond
critically, we are essentially dealing with not black or brown
or white, but red herrings," he said. PTI NC
AHM


The information contained in this electronic message and any attachments to this
message are intended for the exclusive
use of the addressee(s) and may contain proprietary, confidential or privileged
information. If you are not the intended
recipient, you should not disseminate, distribute or copy this e-mail. Please
notify the sender immediately and destroy
all copies of this message and any attachments contained in it.