Irish police engage community leaders after attacks on Indians

THE diversity unit of Ireland’s police force said that it is engaging with the Indian community in the wake of a string of violent attacks in the capital Dublin and other parts of the country in recent weeks.

The Garda National Diversity Unit has been in discussions with the Federation of Indian Communities in Ireland (FICI) and is also set to be joining the annual Indian Independence Day celebrations organised by the umbrella group next week.

An Garda Siochana, as the national police force of Ireland is known, said investigations into reports of assault on people of Indian heritage remain ongoing.

“Without commenting on any specific incident, the Garda National Diversity Unit is actively engaged with the Federation of Indian Communities in Ireland (FICI) – the umbrella group for several Indian community groups across the country – to address present concerns,” a Garda spokesperson said.

“As in previous years, we look forward to attending next weekend’s annual ‘India Day’ celebrations held by FICI and the Ireland India Council. We expect that both events will be opportunities for us to provide any help and reassurance in light of recent concerns,” the spokesperson said.

The police confirmed that one of the most recent incidents in which an Indian-origin hotel chef in his 50s was assaulted and robbed in Dublin on Wednesday (6) remains under investigation.

“We would like to reassure those of an ethnic or minority background that we are here to keep you safe. We would encourage anyone who has been a victim of crime to report it to An Garda Siochana for investigation, or in an emergency call 999/112,” the spokesperson added.

The hotel chef, named in the Irish media as Laxman Das, was attacked by three suspects who fled with his phone, credit cards and electric bike.

He was taken to the city’s St. Vincent’s University Hospital with what the police described as non-life-threatening injuries.

Earlier in the week, Anupa Achuthan, originally from Kerala and now an Irish citizen, spoke about her Ireland-born six-year-old daughter Nia Naveen being assaulted outside her home in the city of Waterford, south-east Ireland, and told to “go back to India”.

Violent assaults involving Lakhvir Singh, a taxi driver in his 40s, and entrepreneur and AI expert Dr Santosh Yadav followed an Indian Embassy advisory urging Indian citizens to take “safety precautions and avoid deserted areas, especially at odd hours”.

The advisory followed a brutal attack on a 40-year-old Indian man at Parkhill Road in the Tallaght suburb of Dublin on July 19, described as “mindless, racist violence” by locals.

“The people of Ireland stand with the Indian community and will continue to stand firmly against racism in all its forms,” the Irish embassy in New Delhi said in a social media statement last week.

The Irish India Council welcomed the “strong statement”, adding: “Racism and xenophobia have no place in our society. The Indian community’s contributions continue to enrich Ireland, and our shared bonds remain strong.”

(PTI)