Adelaide: 23-Year-Old Indian Student Charanpreet Singh Brutally Assaulted in a Suspected Racial Attack

National News: A 23-year-old Indian student was critically hurt after being assaulted in central Adelaide in a suspected racial attack, according to media reports. The tragedy has shaken the Indian student community in Australia. Police have recovered CCTV footage from the busy precinct, which includes well-lit streets and public cameras near cultural attractions and the University of Adelaide.

The victim and his wife came to see the Illuminate light installations

On Saturday, July 19, at 9.22 p.m. local time, Charanpreet Singh and his wife parked near Kintore Avenue in the city centre to view the Illuminate light installations. According to police and witness reports, a vehicle drove up next to them, and five men walked out, some apparently holding metal knuckles or sharp items, demanding Singh move his vehicle. The attackers reportedly began shouting racial abuse without provocation, ordering Singh to "F*** off, Indian," before commencing a brutal assault. Singh was struck through the car window, trampled on, and assaulted with both weapons and bare hands.

"They just said 'f*** off, Indian', and after that they just started punching," 9News quoted him as saying. "I tried to fight back, but they beat me until I was unconscious," said the victim.

Investigation underway

South Australia Police attended to complaints just before 9:30 p.m. and found Singh critically injured on the ground. On Sunday, a 20-year-old male from Enfield was detained and charged with assault causing hurt. The suspect was eventually released on bail, while investigators continue to look for the remaining four attackers.

“Deeply disturbing", says South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas

South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas condemned the violence as "deeply disturbing" and stated that such racially motivated attacks have "no place in our state". "Any time we see any evidence of any racial attack, it is completely unwelcome in our state and just not consistent with where the majority of our community are at," the Premier said.

Charanpreet is now suffering from brain trauma

Singh was rushed to the Royal Adelaide Hospital, where he was discovered to have suffered brain trauma, multiple facial fractures, a broken nose, and serious eye injuries that required an overnight stay and surgical intervention.