Melbourne: A 22-year-old Indian postgraduate student was attacked and robbed by unidentified persons here on Friday, the third such incident in Australia targeting youngsters from the community in recent weeks. The student, identified only as Sam, was waiting for a bus in St Kilda area when the incident occurred,
the police said. Sam, who has lived in Melbourne for the last 18 months, was on his way to an examination at La Trobe University, where he is doing a Masters degree in Finance.
Detective Senior Constable Mark Sontag told Australian media that it was believed someone approached Sam from behind and put something over his head and he lost consciousness.
The next thing he remembers is waking up and finding his mobile phone and wallet, containing cash and cards, missing.
“It’s extremely unusual, I’ve never seen this method used before in the execution of an armed robbery,” Mr. Sontag said.
Sam said he remembered smelling something and being very scared. “I gave up and thought maybe I’m going to die.” I was really shocked and scared ... and unthinkable because I have to go to university early in the morning and late at night, so I’m really scared now.” It was the latest in a string of attacks on Indian students in Australia.
An Indian student-cabbie was brutally beaten up by two men in Adelaide in the third week of May. Balraj Singh sustained severe injuries on his face and his nose was broken in the attack by the men who had also stolen his taxi.
In late April, a 23-year-old Indian student taxi driver, Jalvinder Singh, was stabbed and left bleeding on the roadside in Melbourne.
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