Melbourne, September 16
Under fire for yet another racial attack on three Indians here, the Australian police today said it has launched a probe into the incident and denied covering it up as a concerned India took up the matter with the authorities Down Under.After a brief lull in the attacks, three Indians were assaulted outside a bar in a suburb here on Saturday. The police said four men were arrested and quizzed in connection with the attack, but were released pending further investigation.
The Victorian police said they have launched an investigation “into the circumstances surrounding the racial attack.” Acting Senior Sergeant Glenn Parker, however, dismissed the contention by relatives of the victims that a group of 70 people attacked the three Indians, claiming that only four men were involved in the “actual assault” and up to 20 persons were bystanders.
Concerned over the recurring attacks on its nationals in Australia, India took up the issue with the Australian government and said additional measures should be put in place at the earliest to prevent such incidents from happening again.
The matter was taken up with Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith by Indian High Commissioner Sujata Singh, who has also written to Victorian Premier John Brumby about it.
Indian Consul General in Melbourne Anita Nair too is in contact with authorities in Victoria, including the police. The officials are also in touch with family members of the victims who have been assured all assistance by the Consulate.
“Any violence which does occur and any violence which is racially motivated is completely unacceptable...and I’ll keep repeating this message as long as I have to get the message out there,” Victorian Premier Brumby, who will visit India next week, was quoted as saying by local media.
The Federation of Indian Students in Australia , meanwhile, complained that authorities’ promises to prevent recurrence of attacks and adopt “zero-tolerance” have proved futile. —
PTI
