SYDNEY: Australia’s attempts to placate Indian concerns over violent attacks on its citizens were made more difficult on Wednesday by allegations that police in Melbourne had tried to cover up the latest assaults.
It took four days before details of the weekend bashing of four Indian men were released, prompting claims police were trying to suppress the case for fear of further inflaming a diplomatic spat over the welfare of the 90,000 Indian students in Australia.
Press reports in India said the four had been “brutally bashed” by a crowd of 70 locals and that one suffered a broken nose and jaw. Gautam Gupta of the Federation of Indian Students of Australia alleged a cover up. “They want to make this major issue into a minor incident,” he told The Australian newspaper. “They want it swept under the carpet.” Police have confirmed that there were racial slurs during the latest attack. Victorian Police spokesman Glenn Parker told national broadcaster ABC that there were four attackers and 20 bystanders.
