’From punches and kicks to machetes’

Founder of association for Indian students in Aus says desis no strangers to violence

'From punches and kicks to machetes'

Founder of association for Indian students in Aus says desis no strangers to violence

The Down Under dream is fast turning into a nightmare for Indian students, with another stomach-churning incident of violence emerging yesterday.

Rajesh Kumar suffered 30 per cent burns after a petrol bomb was hurled at him in his Sydney home.

Gautam Gupta, the founder of Federation of Indian Students of Australia, told MiD DAY, "Attacks on Indians here have been on for about three years now. Earlier, we used to hear of one incident in a week.The frequency is increasing."

Gupta said the most worrying aspect was, "Earlier, the assailants used punches and kicks. Now, they have mache-tes and knuckle-dusters."

While in India the anger is palpable, Gupta said the Indian student community in Australia is also scared and confused.
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"Students are confused whether to stay on in Australia. What can you expect when the police make a statement like, 'The students (four of who were attacked) must leave the suburbs and go and stay in the city where it is safer'," asked Gupta.

"Do you think students have a choice? In the suburbs one can live on A$300 a week, in the city you need A$1,000 a week."

He hit back at the allegation that Indians invite attacks as they are loud and flash their wealth, saying, "If I speak in Punjabi does, that give them the right to attack me?"
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Gupta now hopes the current uproar will act as a catalyst for this issue.

The attacks

>>u00a0Baljinder Singh is stabbed by two men near Carnegie station on May 25. He has been discharged from hospital
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Case status: No arrests yet

>> Four students are attacked at a party in Melbourne on May 24. Sravan Kumar (25), who is stabbed with a screwdriver, is critical. The others are also injured.

Case status: A 17-year-old boy is charged with attempted murder

>> Student Sourabh Sharma (21) is bashed up in a Melbourne train on May 9.

Case status: Four minors have been charged