No let up in attacks against Indians in Oz; Govt vows action

Natasha Chaku

Melbourne, May 28 (PTI) Racial attacks against Indians
continued unabated here with a 25-year-old becoming the latest
victim even as a youth battled for life after being stabbed by
a group of teenagers, prompting Australia to pledge Thursday
that "victimisation" of foreign students would not be
tolerated.

In a fresh incident, Baljinder Singh was attacked on
Monday night when two men carrying weapons approached him and
demanded money.

As Singh, 25, searched through his bag to hand over his
wallet, he was stabbed in the abdomen, the 'Herald Sun'
reported, adding the Indian screamed for his life while his
attackers laughed and fled the scene.

"I bent down and one guy stabbed me," Singh was quoted as
saying. "I just wanted to save my life and yelled 'just don't
kill me.'"

"We're not safe here now," he said, adding "I thought
it was safe here, that's why I came to Australia.

The latest attack came as Shravan Kumar, a 25-year-old
student from Andhra Pradesh, fought for life in a hospital
here after being stabbed by a screwdriver by a group of teens
in a weekend attack that also left 3 of his friends injured.

Indian Consul General Anita Nair visited Kumar Wednesday
and said doctors were not very optimistic about his recovery.

In the wake of pressure from India to act, Australia
vowed that "discrimination against or victimisation" of any
foreign student would not be tolerated.

In a statement in Parliament, Deputy Prime Minister and
Education Minister Julia Gillard said she wanted to "send a
message loud and clear that international students are very
welcome in this nation."

"Australia will not tolerate discrimination against or
victimisation of any of our international students," she said.

Earlier today, Foreign Minister Stephen Smith said he was
"appalled" by these attacks and that action was being taken.

"As a Foreign Minister, I am appalled by these attacks
and I condemn them absolutely," he said in a statement, adding
that Australia takes "very seriously" its reputation as a safe
destination for Indian students.

In a related development, Australian police arrested
two teenagers allegedly involved in a racist attack on Indian
student Saurabh Sharma on a Melbourne train earlier this
month.

Sharma, 21, was beaten up and robbed by a group of
teenagers on a train on May 9. Police are now questioning the
two boys, aged 16 and 18, after searching two homes.

CCTV footage of the incident helped police identify the
alleged attackers.

Police are still searching for three others in connection
with the assault, the Victorian Police said in a statement.

Meanwhile, the house of four Indian youths attacked over
the weekend by a screwdriver, including Shravan Kumar, has
been burgled, an organisation of Indian students here has
claimed.

Unknown intruders broke into their house and stole
everything available. "They have no clothes or anything left
in the house and the students are really feeling insecure and
unsafe," said Gautam Gupta, President of the Federation of
Indian Student Association (FISA).

"They believe it was done by members of the same group
which had assaulted them during the weekend," he said.

About Shravan Kumar, Gupta said the student has started
receiving utmost medical care in the intensive care unit of a
local hospital.

Representatives of FISA, along with those of Australia's
apex student body National Union of Students (NUS), will meet
Indian High Commissioner Sujatha Singh shortly and present a
list of their demands. PTI NC
PMR
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