23-year-old Charanpreet Singh was out with his wife to see the city’s light displays when they had just parked their car and were allegedly ambushed by a group of five men who emerged from another vehicle
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An Indian international student, Charanpreet Singh, has reportedly been hospitalised with serious injuries after a violent and allegedly racially motivated attack in Adelaide on Saturday night. The incident, which occurred around 9:22 pm on July 19 near Kintore Avenue, has sparked widespread outrage within the South Asian community and prompted renewed calls for better protection for international students.
23-year-old Singh was out with his wife to see the city’s light displays when they had just parked their car and were allegedly ambushed by a group of five men who emerged from another vehicle. Witnesses told The Indian Sun that the attack was unprovoked and appeared “racially motivated”. The assailants were reportedly armed with what looked like metal knuckles or sharp objects.
“They just said, ‘F*** off, Indian’, and after that they just started punching,” Singh told 9News from his hospital bed. “You can change anything in your body, but you can’t change the colours.”
According to The Australia Today, Singh sustained serious injuries including facial fractures and brain trauma. He was left unconscious on the road and later taken by emergency services to the Royal Adelaide Hospital.
Eyewitnesses and viral video footage shared on social media show the violent assault and the attackers fleeing the scene. Singh’s wife managed to film the aftermath and captured the assailants’ vehicle registration number.
The victim’s friends and community members have criticised what they see as police inaction. One friend of the victim told The Indian Sun that officers took initial statements but told Singh to return later to give a formal statement when he felt better, without indicating whether charges would be pursued.
South Australia Police confirmed that officers were called to the scene shortly before 9:30 pm. “When police arrived, they located the 22-year-old victim on the floor with facial injuries. He was taken to hospital for treatment. Investigations are continuing,” a spokesperson told The Indian Sun.
In an update, authorities confirmed that a 20-year-old man from Enfield has been arrested and charged with assault causing harm. The remaining suspects are still at large. Police are reviewing CCTV footage from the area and have urged the public to come forward with any information. “We ask anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers,” the police said.
Premier Peter Malinauskas condemned the attack, saying, “Any time we see any evidence of any racial attack, it is just not consistent with where the majority of our community are at.”
The attack has deeply unsettled Adelaide’s Indian community. “When things like this happen, it makes you feel like you should go back,” Singh said.
Another incident in Dublin
The Adelaide assault comes amid reports of a similar racist incident in Dublin. An Indian man in his 40s was hospitalised after being brutally attacked by a group of teenage boys, reports The Times of India. The assailants falsely accused him of inappropriate behaviour before beating him and pulling down his trousers.
“Gardaí in Tallaght were alerted to an incident at Parkhill Road... Investigations are ongoing,” local police said. Dublin City Councillor Baby Pereppadan stated, “He couldn’t speak much because of the shock.” Sinn Féin’s Seán Crowe condemned the violence, adding, “You are sowing hate, fear, and division.”
A protest is scheduled for July 26 to denounce rising racist violence in Ireland.
