‘You can’t change colours’: Indian student attacked in racist assault; one arrested
An Indian international student has been hospitalised with serious injuries after a violent assault in Australia’s Adelaide that is being investigated as a possible racially motivated attack. The incident has sparked outrage across the Indian community and renewed calls for better safety measures for international students.Charanpreet Singh, 23, was with his wife near Kintore Avenue on Saturday evening (July 19) when they were allegedly ambushed by a group of five men. According to Australia Today, the couple had just parked their car to view the city’s light displays around 9:22pm when the attackers emerged from another vehicle.
Viral video shows assault
Eyewitnesses and video footage shared on social media reportedly show the men striking Singh with what appeared to be metal knuckles or sharp objects, while shouting racial abuse including: “F— off, Indian”. The attackers then fled the scene, leaving Singh unconscious and seriously injured on the road.Singh, who spoke to 9News from his hospital bed, said the altercation began over a car parking dispute but escalated into a racially charged assault. “They just said, ‘F— off, Indian,’ and after that they just started punching,” he recalled. “You can change anything in your body, but you can’t change the colours.”He sustained facial fractures and brain trauma, and was taken by emergency services to the Royal Adelaide Hospital for overnight treatment. The assault has left members of the local Indian community shaken, with many expressing solidarity with Singh online.“When things like this happen, it makes you feel like you should go back,” Singh said.
Police investigation under way
South Australia Police confirmed they were called to Kintore Avenue shortly before 9.30pm and found Singh with facial injuries. “He was taken to hospital for treatment. Investigations are continuing,” a police spokesperson told The Indian Sun. One man, a 20-year-old from Enfield, has been arrested and charged with assault causing harm. The other suspects remain at large.Authorities are reviewing CCTV footage from the area and have urged witnesses to come forward. “We ask anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers,” the police said.Premier Peter Malinauskas has condemned the incident, calling it “completely unwelcome in our state”. He added, “Any time we see any evidence of any racial attack, it is just not consistent with where the majority of our community are at.”
Another attack in Dublin
This follows another attack targeting an Indian individual. An Indian man in his 40s was hospitalised after being brutally attacked by a group of teenage boys in a violent, racist assault in Dublin on Saturday evening. The gang falsely accused him of inappropriate behaviour with children before beating him and pulling down his trousers. “Gardaí in Tallaght were alerted to an incident at Parkhill Road… Investigations are ongoing,” police said. Councillor Baby Pereppadan said, “He couldn’t speak much because of the shock.” Sinn Féin’s Seán Crowe added, “You are sowing hate, fear, and division.” A protest is planned for July 26 to condemn rising racist violence in Ireland.
