Brisbane-based Rohan Sharma who is graduating from Griffith University as a mechanical engineer today was left with a black eye and a fractured nose in an attack last Friday, which he claims was racially motivated.
The 23-year-old student told SBS Punjabi that he was walking back to his unit at around 9:30 am last week when he was rounded on by his neighbour who hurled vile racial abuse at him before launching a physical attack.
“He punched me on my nose, in my eye before hitting me multiple times on my head. I lost consciousness for a few seconds and as soon as I regained some strength, I asked my sister who was inside the house to lock the door before I ran away to get some help,” Mr Sharma said.
“But he started following me while his partner barged into the house and attacked my elder sister.”
"When she got a chance, my sister called up the police," Mr Sharma added.
Rohan Sharma claims the attack was racially motivated Source: Supplied
"But by the time the police arrived at the scene, the neighbour and his partner drove away in their car and have not returned since."
Mr Sharma who lives in the south-eastern suburb of Greenslopes with his elder sister said they have never had good relations with the said neighbour with whom they also share a garage.
“Ever since he (the neighbour) has shifted next door, he has been calling us names. Once he even called my sister a ‘curry girl’,” said Mr Sharma.
The relations between the two neighbours further strained after Mr Sharma made a complaint to the landlord about his missing bicycle, a few days before the alleged attack.
“I have no idea how he (neighbour) misunderstood that we were accusing him of stealing my bicycle. Since then he has cornered me many times, outside my house.”
Mr Sharma who arrived in Australia over four years ago said incidents like these paint a frightening picture for students like him.
“What can we do in such situations? If you are here temporarily and you act in your defence, it might affect your visa status, and if you don’t then you end up like me,” said Mr Sharma.
“No matter how long you stay in this country, you’ll continue to be looked at as a third citizen," he added.
The University student who is currently undergoing treatment for his physical injuries said he will now live the rest of his life in fear.
Rohan Sharma with his sister Amrita at their Brisbane home. Source: Supplied
“This incident has left me traumatized to an extent that I feel every other person walking on the road might attack me any minute,” he added.
