A 23-year-old Indian international student, Charanpreet Singh, was hospitalised with serious injuries on Saturday. This comes after he was racially assaulted in central Adelaide. The attack has sent shockwaves through the Indian community in Australia. The incident has further reignited concerns over the safety of international students.

Attack During City Light Display Visit

According to reports, Singh was with his wife near Kintore Avenue around 9:22 pm on Saturday. The couple was allegedly ambushed by a group of five men. This comes as the couple had just parked their car to enjoy the city’s light displays. However, the attackers reportedly leapt out of another vehicle and launched a brutal assault.

✨Indian #student Charanpreet Singh brutally #attacked in Adelaide by 5 men shouting #racial slurs. 🚨Hospitalised after unprovoked #assault near #Kintore Ave. 👮Police took statements but no charges yet. 🆘#TheIndianSun

🔗 https://t.co/BXZQ93X6Vy pic.twitter.com/tO5ExzWNpf

— The Indian Sun (@The_Indian_Sun) July 19, 2025

Eyewitnesses and video footage show the attackers striking Singh with what appeared to be metal knuckles or sharp objects. The men shouted racial slurs like “F*** off, Indian” as they punched and kicked Singh, leaving him unconscious on the street.

Severe Injuries and Hospitalisation

Singh suffered brain trauma and multiple facial fractures. Emergency services rushed him to the Royal Adelaide Hospital, where he remains under medical care. Speaking from his hospital bed, Singh recounted the assault to 9News, saying the attack stemmed from a minor parking dispute that escalated into a hate crime.

Mr Singh also said: “Things like this, when they happen, it makes you feel like you should go back. You can change anything in your body, but you can’t change the colours.”

South Australia Police arrested a 20-year-old man from Enfield in connection with the assault. He has been charged with assault causing harm. Authorities are reviewing CCTV footage and appealing to the public for assistance in identifying the remaining suspects.

Condemnation and Community Outrage

The attack has provoked widespread anger, especially within Adelaide’s Indian diaspora. South Australia Premier Peter Malinauskas condemned the incident, stating, “Any time we see any evidence of a racial attack, it is completely unwelcome in our state and just not consistent with where the majority of our community are at.”

Indian Man Stripped and Assaulted in Ireland

Shockingly, on the same day as the Adelaide assault, another shocking racial attack occurred in Dublin, Ireland. Here, an Indian man in his 40s was stripped and violently beaten by a gang in the Tallaght suburb.

According to The Irish Times, the attackers falsely accused the victim of inappropriate behavior near children. These claims were later debunked by Irish police (Garda). The man was surrounded and attacked by a group of young men, who pulled down his trousers and beat him with what appeared to be bladed knuckles.

Eyewitness Account: ‘He Was Covered in Blood’

A local woman who witnessed the attack said the man was bleeding profusely and left in a state of shock and humiliation. “His entire body was covered in blood,” she recalled, adding that she helped the victim by providing first aid and calling emergency services.

The eyewitness warned that the same gang had attacked other Indian nationals in recent days, with at least four other victims reportedly stabbed in the face. She criticised the lack of media coverage and called for urgent action.

Police and Diplomatic Response

The victim was taken to Tallaght University Hospital and discharged the following day. Garda confirmed they are investigating the incident as a hate crime. Indian Ambassador to Ireland, Akhilesh Mishra, condemned the assault and criticised media outlets for downplaying the incident. “How can an ‘alleged’ assault cause such horrible injury and bleeding?” he wrote on social media.

Irish Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan addressed growing anti-immigrant rhetoric, stating: “There’s no substance to the suggestion that immigrants are more likely to commit a criminal offence. In fact, the percentage of immigrants in prison is lower than their percentage in society.”

Growing Alarm Over Safety of Indian Nationals

The two attacks, occurring within hours of each other on July 19 in two different countries, have intensified concerns over the safety and treatment of Indian nationals and immigrants worldwide. Community leaders and diplomatic officials are urging authorities in both countries to bring the perpetrators to justice and implement stronger measures against racially motivated violence.