An Indian student, Charanpreet Singh, aged 23, was left lying unconscious on the streets of a city in Adelaide after he was reportedly attacked by a group of men for a parking dispute, and the attack is now being termed racially motivated.
As reported by 9News, the attack happened on Saturday night, July 19, 2025, along Kintore Avenue in inner Adelaide.
Singh, who was driving his vehicle when it happened, explained that a group of males approached him, started throwing racial insults, and physically attacked him without giving him any warning.
The attackers allegedly yelled, "f*** off, Indian," before punching Singh repeatedly and leaving him unconsciously on the roadside.
"I attempted to resist, but they punched and kicked me until I lost consciousness," Singh remembered.
Singh suffered severe injuries, including trauma to his brain and several fractures of his face. Singh was taken to the hospital, where he is still under observation.
South Australia Police verified the arrest of a 20-year-old man from Enfield on Sunday, July 20. He has been charged with assault causing harm. Authorities continue to seek the other people involved in the attack, who escaped after running away from the scene. Police have called on witnesses or anyone with information to come forward as they continue looking at CCTV footage in the area.
The assault has evoked outrage and concern in Adelaide's Indian community, reviving concerns regarding the security of international students and migrants throughout Australia.
Aid for Singh has poured in on the internet, with numerous voices demanding stricter actions against racially driven violence. From his hospital bed, Singh commented that the attack had left him traumatized.
"Things like this, when they do occur, it makes you want to go back," he said. "You can modify anything in your body, but you can't modify the colours."
South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas vehemently disapproved of the incident, deeming it completely unacceptable.
"Any time that we notice any indication of any racial attack, it is absolutely not welcome in our state and just not in line with where most of our community are at," Malinauskas said to 9News.
The investigation is ongoing.
