Police nabbed and charged three suspects over a vicious assault on two Indian students, one of whom is now lying in coma.
The victim, Manriajwinder Singh, 20, of Reservoir, was nearly beaten to death by a gang in a city park Sunday.
Police Tuesday arrested three teenagers for the attack.
While two of them, a 16-year-old and a 17-year-old, have been charged with intentionally causing serious injury, robbery and theft and remanded in custody, the third, a 15-year-old, was released but is expected to be charged on summons with assault-related offences, according to the report.
Investigators are hunting five others in connection with the case. Most accused in the incident are from the Sunshine area. The 15-year-old is from Ascon Vale.
Earlier Tuesday, India’s external affairs ministry said in New Delhi that its consulate was in touch with the hospital, the police and the brother of the attacked student.
Singh was with two friends when he was assaulted by a group of eight men and one woman over the weekend at Princess Bridge in Birrarung Marr park in Melbourne.
Singh, who is studying for a Bachelor of Commerce degree at Melbourne university, was punched, kicked and thrown to the ground by the attackers. He was also allegedly beaten with a stick after he fell unconscious.
He is in coma at the Alfred Hospital in Melbourne.
His brother Yadwinder Singh urged the Australian government for the attackers to be “caught and punished so innocent people like my brother and his friend don’t get bashed like this”.
According to CCTV footage released by police, Manriajwinder Singh and one of his friends were standing near a footpath when they were approached by eight men of African appearance and one fair-skinned woman and set upon Sunday.
Attacks on students from India have caused deep bilateral issues between Australia and India in the past. The pace in which the police have acted in arresting the attackers is a clear indication that the state government is taking on the issue more seriously this time around.
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