Sikh victim of racial assault in Australia narrates ordeal

Recalling his ordeal, a 22-year-old Sikh youth, who was assaulted here by a group of teenagers, has said the attackers racially taunted him as they forcibly removed his turban and tried to cut his hair.

Resham Singh, who was attacked on Monday at Dandenong train Station here, said the six teenagers who attacked him told him that "'you Indians, we hate you, we will kill you.'"

Singh, a student of hospitality who came from Punjab six months ago and became the 20th Indian victim of assaults within a month, said the attackers racially taunted him.

The Sikh youth, who received cuts and bruises in the incident, told ABC radio that "they pulled off my turban, I can't tolerate this thing" as it has a religious significance.

"We can tolerate violence physically but we can't tolerate these things," he was quoted as saying.

"How can we stay here? I can't feel safe here... I have never seen police here (at the train station)," he said.

Victoria police said they had arrested two persons in connection with the assault but withheld the identity of the victim.

"The youths from Dandenong -- aged 13 and 15 years -- were charged with intentionally causing serious injury, recklessly causing serious injury and assault in company," a police spokesperson said.