New Delhi, January 04: A Young man from Punjab was stabbed to death by a hate gang in Melbourne on Saturday night, sparking anger among Indian students against Australian authorities for failing to protect them from racist attacks.
Nitin Garg, 21, is the first to be killed in the spate of attacks on Indians in Australia. He had been attacked a month ago and was anxious about his safety, his friends said.
Even as New Delhi responded sharply to the murder, saying it could impact ties with Canberra, the local police declined to term it as a race- related incident.
Garg was on his way to Hungry Jack’s restaurant where he worked part- time when unidentified persons launched a savage attack on him, ripping his abdomen as he walked through a park at around 10 pm ( 4.30 pm in India).
The attack is believed to have taken place on a lonely and poorly- lit stretch of Cruickshank Park that fell between the Yarraville AS MANY as 100 Indians, including students, were attacked in Australia in the past year, said a government report tabled in Parliament some weeks ago.
The report, which expressed dismay that such incidents continued to take place despite assurances from the Australian government, showed nearly a six- fold increase in attacks.
“ The number of Indians attacked in Australia in 2008 was 17. In 2009, 94 Indians were attacked till November 20. A total of 100 attacks on Indians, including students, have been reported in Australia during last year,” the statement said.
The attacks led to several protests in Melbourne and Sydney last year. These also forced Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to take up the issue with his Australian counterpart, Kevin Rudd, who promised action.
However, such attacks continued unabated. The latest attack took place on Sunday when 21- year- old Nitin Garg was stabbed to death while going to work.
“ Reports of some stray incidents of attacks continue to be received from Melbourne,” said the government statement.
–Agencies