Crime against Indians an old problem: Victoria police chief

Natasha Chaku
Melbourne, Jan 20 (PTI) Victoria's top cop on
Wednesday said crime against Indians was a problem which was
noticed by police two years ago.

Indians are over-represented in robbery statistics and
there is a racist element to some attacks, Chief Commissioner
Simon Overland said, according to media reports here.
"There is no question, regardless of the motives,
Indian students have to a degree been targeted in robberies
and that is not okay," he said.
"We recognised this problem a long time before it hit
the public.
We have known for two years that there has been this
issue and we have been working away, at a number of levels
around engaging with students, trying to make them understand
the risks and how they keep themselves safe."
Overland said police had detailed data on attacks
involving Indians and said that while Indians were over
represented when it came to robberies, the same could not be
said for assaults.
About 50 per cent of assaults on Indians occurred in
their workplace, mostly involving taxi drivers and convenience
store clerks, he said.
Overland said some of the attacks were racist.
"I have said from day one undoubtedly some of these
attacks have a racist motive or there is racist elements to
these attacks," he said adding regardless of who they are,
what they are, what colour they are, what occupation they are,
my job is to make the state as safe as I can for everyone. 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.