'They called me an Indian dog’: Sikh nurse injured in racial attack in Australia

Sikh nurse attacked in racial assault (Image: News18)

A 22-year-old Sikh nurse has been left with a broken nose following a violent racial attack at a gym in Geelong, Melbourne, on Tuesday night.

Harmanpreet Singh told reporters he was confronted by three men while training at a Corio gym at around 11 pm. The men initially hurled verbal abuse, but the ordeal escalated once he left the building.

“They called me an ‘Indian dog’ and told me to go back to where I came from,” Harmanpreet told 9News.

One of the men then struck him violently, bashing his head against Harmanpreet’s nose, leaving it broken and bleeding heavily. “He got really close to my face and then just got really back and hit his head on my nose,” he said. The attackers fled immediately afterwards.

Local residents rushed Harmanpreet to hospital, where he is expected to undergo surgery. He told 9News he was still traumatised by both the assault and the racial abuse. “Nobody wants to hear it. Especially when you’re just minding your own business,” he said.

Harmanpreet has faced racial abuse in Australia before, but he said this latest incident has taken a heavy emotional toll. His sister, Khushi Kaur, said the family was deeply shaken.

“I try to keep myself strong, not care about such things, but it hurts,” Harmanpreet said. “I don’t know if I am going to go back to the gym… I am not going to feel safe after this.”