Two Indian students assaulted in Melbourne

MELBOURNE: Even as Indian and Australian flags go side by side on their national day today, two Indian students were allegedly assaulted by a group of thugs here.

Eight persons, described as being of Asian appearance, have been arrested after several hours of the incident and were being questioned, police said in a statement.

The accused had allegedly made comments to the duo before one of the student was pushed to the ground and kicked at about 10.20 pm (local time) last night in central Melbourne.

The 18-year-old Indian man suffered a wound on his left ear from what appeared to be an edged weapon, police said, adding the 22-year-old student was also punched to the ground and suffered minor abrasions to the forearm.

Police confirmed the two victims were Indian students but were unable to say whether the comments made were racial.

The 18-year-old was taken to St Vincents Hospital with lacerations to the left ear, while the other student did not required hospital treatment, an AAP report said.

The attack comes just weeks after an Indian student Nitin Garg was stabbed to death in a park in Yarraville in Melbourne's inner-west.