Indian man set on fire in Melbourne

In another attack on Indians in Australia, a 29-year-old man from the country was set on fire by a group of four assailants here on Saturday, drawing strong condemnation from a student body which called such assaults unacceptable and asked authorities not to “dodge” the issue.

Jaspreet Singh was attacked in Essendon area of northwest Melbourne shortly before 2.00 am local time (0730 HRS IST), a week after an Indian student was stabbed to death in the city.

Singh, who suffered 20 per cent burns on his arms, chest and face, was admitted to ‘The Alfred’ hospital.

Singh and his wife left a dinner party in Essendon between 1.30 am and 2 am and drove to their nearby home in Grice Crescent. He dropped his wife at home and had gone to park his car when he was attacked, local media reported.

Police said that as he was getting out of the car, four men attacked him, pushing him back against the vehicle and pouring an unknown fluid on him. One of the men then ignited the fluid with a lighter before all the attackers fled.

The victim, who is now in a stable condition in the hospital, ran from the car while peeling off his clothes.

Denying any racial angle to the attack, detective Acting Senior Sergeant Neil Smyth said it is not yet known who the four men could be or their relationship to the victim. He said investigations indicate the attack was random.