Fresh attack in Oz on Indians

Natasha Chaku

Melbourne, Oct 5 (PTI) In a fresh incident against
Indians, a group of Australians racially abused community
members coming out from a Kabaddi match and damaged their car
here, prompting them to retaliate.

The incident took place at a carpark outside
Meadowglen International Athletics Stadium in Epping when a
local skateboarder damaged the rear window of a car belonging
to an Indian.

The skateboarder also used abusive language against
some Indians who were leaving the stadium where a Kabaddi
match had ended Sunday night.

"Associates of the person, whose car was damaged, came
to his assistance. Two men were assaulted and hit with sticks
in the brawl. These two injured men were from the group
outside who had allegedly started to verbally abuse the people
from the vehicle," police said in a statement.

The two Australians -- aged 25 and 42 -- were taken to
Northern Hospital with minor injuries, they said. However, no
arrests have been made and the incident was being
investigated, police told PTI.

Around 30 Indian students were attacked in various
cities from June to August. Last month, three Indians were
"brutally bashed" by a group of around 70 youth while playing
here.

"A lot of people were leaving, the presentations were
on at the time. I spoke to one of the boys who was there and
he said a guy had smashed the rear window of a car that was
leaving," Councillor from the City of Darebin Tim Singh, who
was present at the medal presentations ceremony for Kabaddi
tournament, was quoted as saying by the media.

Singh said that the guy also made some racial comments
following which the clash broke out between the two groups.

Meanwhile, an AAP report quoted police officer Mark
Doney as saying that the incident occurred when contestants of
the team began to leave the venue.

"One of the youths there tried to get in the way of
the cars and yelled out a bit of abuse at people. I think he
got his just dessert by the occupants of the vehicle after he
smashed the window of their car. Obviously, push has come to
shove and he smashed the panel of the side window of the car
with the skateboard. It has escalated from there as some of
his mates have come down the skatepark. A couple more were
assaulted," he said.

Inspector Doney said the injured men hadn't pressed
charges. "We don't have a complaint of assault from them," he
said.

Last week, a 28-year-old Indian student was attacked
with a "plank of wood or a baseball bat" by two men at Keilor
Plains train station which left him with 20 stitches on his
head. PTI NC
SDE