“Police are appealing for public assistance as they continue to investigate an affray at the Khalistan Referendum at Federation Square on 29 Jan. Police have released images of six men they believe may be able to assist with their enquiries.”
— Victoria Police tweet
Australia’s Victoria police claimed that two accused were arrested on January 29 and that efforts were underway since that day to nab the other accused. They were reacting to the attacks on the Indian community by sword-wielding Khalistanis at Federation Square in Melbourne in January this year. Incidentally, the Victoria police woke up two months after the attack and sought public help in identifying the attackers.
The targeted attack took place during the voting for the ‘Khalistan independence’ referendum, organised by the ‘Sikhs for Justice (SFJ)’ on January 29 this year. The Indian Ministry of External Affairs strongly condemned the attack.
“Police are appealing for public assistance as they continue to investigate an affray at the Khalistan Referendum at Federation Square on 29 Jan. Police have released images of six men they believe may be able to assist with their enquiries,” the Victoria Police said in a tweet.
In a statement on March 20, it sought public assistance for information on six Khalistanis, who were involved in the Federation Square attack. “Police were in attendance at a Khalistan Referendum event at Federation Square on 29 January when two fights broke out, one at about 12.45pm and the other at about 4.30 pm,” they said.
The action by Victoria police comes days after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi raised concerns about attacks on the Indian diaspora and the Hindu community with his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese
“During the fight, flag poles were used by several men as weapons which caused physical injuries to multiple victims. Two victims, one with a laceration to their head and another with a hand injury, were treated at the scene by paramedics,” the Victoria police added.
“An Indian flag was also burnt by a group of men. In both incidents, police quickly responded to separate and disperse the crowd. OC spray was used in the second incident to separate the fighting men,” it said.
The Victoria police claimed that two accused were arrested on January 29 itself and that efforts were underway to nab the other accused. “Investigators have released images of six men they believe may be able to assist with their enquiries,” they concluded.
The action by Victoria police comes days after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi raised concerns about attacks on the Indian diaspora and the Hindu community with his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese.
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