In the first attack on an Indian this year, 21-year-old Nitin Garg, who migrated from Punjab and had permanent residency in Australia, was stabbed to death in Melbourne’s northern suburb of West Footscray on Saturday night.

He became the first victim to succumb to his injuries, amid a string of racial attacks on the community members in Australia.

The murderous attack has sent shock waves in the Indian community here. Since no witnesses have so far been forthcoming, it has been difficult to determine whether or not the crime was racially motivated.

However, the fact that some of Nitin’s personal belongings, including a few valuables, were found at the site of the attack indicates that the motive could be other than robbery.

Describing it as a vicious attack, Homicide Squad Senior Sergeant Dave Snare of the Victoria Police was quoted as telling reporters here that there was no evidence that the Indian youth had been targeted because of his race.

“I think to draw any conclusion as to the motive may interfere with the investigation and would be presumptuous at this stage,’’ he said.Nitin, who resided in the nearby Newport suburb, was stabbed in the abdomen, in a park while on his way to fast food joint Hungry Jack’s restaurant, where he worked part-time.

Nitin barely managed to stagger into the restaurant, located on the corner of Somerville Road and Geelong Road in Cruickshank Park, West Footscray, around 10 pm and pleaded for help before collapsing. He was rushed to the Royal Melbourne Hospital where he later died.

The police said Nitin had travelled to Yarraville train station about 9.30 pm and then walked along Anderson Street to Cruickshank Park where he was brutally stabbed. The forensic police has scoured the scene and conducted a line search with help from the state emergency service which, however, failed to locate any weapon.

Interestingly, the Sunday Herald Sun today reported that over a dozen elite schools in Melbourne are embroiled in a nationwide race hate scandal with many of their students having joined a Facebook group calling upon immigrants to leave Australia.