Melbourne, Sep 27 : After a lull in racial attacks against Indians in Australia, a 21-year-old man from the community was brutally assaulted by a group of teenagers with baseball bats after they asked him "Buddy, are you Indian?"
The man was walking to Sandown Park rail station here when four teenage boys on bikes approached him, three with baseball bats, police were quoted as saying by local newspaper 'Dandenong Leader'.
One of them asked him "Buddy, are you Indian?"
Police official Jo Hayden said the man was hit from behind, fell and was kicked while lying on the ground. Two passers-by took him home.
He was bruised and had a large cut on his nose and told police that his attackers looked about 15-16 years old, the report said, without naming the victim.
Federation of Indian Association of Victoria (FIAV) President Vasan Srinivasan said he was surprised about the attack which took place in eastern suburb which is considered to be multicultural.
"My only request to youngsters is, let's learn to respect each other, live with harmony and peace. What else we can say?" Srinivasan was quoted as saying by the paper.
Hayden said another Indian was attacked last Tuesday night, but refused to comment if it was racially motivated.
The 39-year-old was walking home about 6pm local time along Moncur Ave in Springvale when he was punched to the ground from behind and kicked while on the ground, police said.
They said there were witnesses, but no clear description of the attacker.
Since 2006, the Indian population of Greater Dandenong has risen by 1200, with 3 per cent of its residents from India.
Australia has witnessed a series of attacks on Indians, mostly students, since June last year. The latest attacks came after a lull of few months. PTI
