An Indian international student was hospitalised after a violent and allegedly racially motivated assault in central Adelaide, Australia, prompting outrage and renewed calls for stronger protections for foreign students.
Charanpreet Singh, 23, was with his wife near Kintore Avenue around 9:22 pm on Saturday, July 19, when he was allegedly attacked by a group of five men.
According to The Australia Today, the couple had just parked their car to view the city’s light displays when the unprovoked assault occurred. Eyewitnesses and social media footage cited in the report show the assailants exiting another vehicle and striking Singh without warning. They allegedly used metal knuckles or sharp objects and hurled racial slurs including, “F*** off, Indian,” before fleeing the scene.
A video of the attack has also gone viral on social media.
Speaking to NIne news, Singh said that the attack began over a parking dispute but escalated quickly. “They just said, ‘F*** off, Indian,’ and after that they just started punching,” he said.
9News further reported that Singh was left unconscious on the road with facial fractures and brain trauma. South Australia Police confirmed they were called to the scene shortly before 9:30 pm. “When police arrived, they located the 22-year-old victim on the floor with facial injuries. He was taken to hospital for treatment. Investigations are continuing,” a spokesperson told The Indian Sun.
As per the latest update, one man has been arrested and charged, while police continue their search for the remaining attackers. CCTV footage from the well-monitored Kintore Avenue area is being reviewed, and authorities have urged anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers.
South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas condemned the assault as “deeply disturbing,” asserting that racially motivated violence has “no place” in the state.
“Any instance of a racial attack is utterly unacceptable and does not reflect the values held by the vast majority of our community,” he said.
On July 22, an Indian man in his 40s was hospitalised after a brutal racist attack in Tallaght, a suburb of Dublin, Ireland. The man, who had arrived in Ireland only weeks ago, was allegedly beaten and stabbed by a group of youths. Indian Ambassador to Ireland Akhilesh Mishra condemned the assault and called for justice. The local community has planned a protest on Friday to stand against rising racist violence, as reported by PTI.