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The attack comes amid a series of incidents targeting Indians in Ireland, prompting the Indian embassy to issue advisories for vigilance among its nationals
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The incident underscores the urgent need for community awareness, child education on diversity and respect, as well as effective measures to ensure the safety and inclusion of all children across Ireland.
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Waterford city sparks concern among Irish-Indian community
A distressing incident in Waterford City has brought renewed attention to the challenges faced by immigrant families in Ireland. A six-year-old girl, the daughter of nurse and Irish citizen Anupa Achuthan, was subjected to a violent racist attack while playing outside her home in the Kilbarry area, media reports said.
According to recent reports, a group of boys aged between 12 and 14 verbally abused her with racist slurs, telling her to “go back to India,” and physically assaulted her by punching her face and causing injury with a bicycle.
Highlighting her professional and personal commitment to Ireland, Anupa said, “We came here to fill a labour gap. We are professionals – we have all the certificates. I believe this is my country also. I belong here.”
Anupa, who has lived and worked in Ireland for eight years, expressed deep sorrow over the ordeal her daughter endured. “I feel so sad for her. I never expected that such an incident would happen. I thought she would be safe here,” she shared, recounting how she found her daughter crying after the attack. Compounding the trauma, the girl’s friends who witnessed the event were left speechless and upset.
The attack’s impact has left the young girl afraid to play outside her home, with her mother saying, “I do not feel safe here, even in front of our own house we believe she can’t play safely.” Anupa described seeing the group of boys after the incident, noting their lack of remorse, but emphasized her hope for them to receive counselling rather than punishment, stressing, “They have to know how to treat other kids well.”
