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Australia punishes perpetrators of attacks against Indians | Australian High Commissioner Peter Varghese today said Australian authorities were determined to find and take
action against those involved in attacks against Indian nationals in Australia. A total of 34 people have been arrested so far in conjunction with cases involving
Indians in Victoria alone. Some cases have already been finalised by the courts,
leading to stiff sentences. For example, three men found guilty of attacking Indian-born
doctor Mukesh Haikerwal were sentenced to eighteen and a half, sixteen and a half
and nine years in jail respectively in November 2009. Varghese reaffirmed the
importance of allowing police investigations to run their course. “It is important
not to jump to conclusions about the motives of an attack, or to take initial
media reports as fact” he said. Varghese said, claims that the burnt body of Ranjodh
Singh found in Griffith on 29 December 2009, was a racial attack should be treated
with caution. The two persons detained by NSW police in relation to this appalling
incident were in fact Indian nationals.” “Similarly, it is far from certain that
the reported burning of Jaspreet Singh in Melbourne on 9 January was an attack”,
added Mr Varghese . “In all these cases, it is important to let the investigation
establish the facts and then allow the criminal justice system to reach a view
on the motives and the appropriate punishment”, he said. On 15 January, an Australian
court sentenced a man who had that day attacked an Indian taxi driver in Ballarat
, Victoria , to three months in jail. “The speedy justice provided in this case
shows the Australian government’s seriousness in ensuring that high levels of
safety and security for all are maintained”, Mr Varghese said. “The verdict has
come out within 24 hours of the incident that took place in Ballarat.” In sentencing
the offender to an immediate three-month jail term, Magistrate Michelle Hodgson
said she must consider "general deterrence." "Regardless of race, violence toward
people in vulnerable positions, performing valuable services to the community,
valuable jobs like driving taxis or working in 7/11s, violence toward these people
will not be tolerated”, the Magistrate said. Offender Arrested in Regard to Coogee
Beach Incident Police acted quickly to arrest a man in conjunction with an assault
on an Australian permanent resident of Indian origin at Coogee Beach on 11 January.
The same day the incident occurred a 19 year old man was arrested and charged
with assault. The offender will reappear in court on 24 February. Police investigations
into the death of Nitin Garg in Melbourne on 2 January are continuing. The Victorian
Police are treating the case as a matter of highest priority and have asked any
witnesses to come forward. The Australian Government has offered its condolences
to the Garg family, and a representative of the Australian High Commission attended
Nitin Garg ’s funeral in Punjab . Investigations are also continuing into a fire
at a Gurudwara in Melbourne on 13 January, with police making all efforts to identify
the culprits. |
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