India demands student protection

Student Baljinder Singh, was stabbed as he walked alone at night in Carnegie on Monday and was rushed to The Alfred hospital.

Four Indian students were attacked with a screwdriver by gatecrashers at a party in Hadfield on Saturday night. One of the victims remains in intensive care in hospital.

Indian media interest

Earlier this month Sourabh Sharma, 21, was bashed and robbed on a train and two students working as taxi drivers were assaulted last year.

The recent violence has received widespread media coverage in India, including accusations that Australia is a racist country, and could threaten Australia's multi-billion education industry, The Age newspaper said.

Indian Foreign Minister S.M. Krishna said he was "appalled" by the attacks.

"We will also impress upon the Australian authorities that such attacks should not be permitted and that it is their responsibility to ensure the wellbeing and security of our students studying in Australia," he said.

On Mr Krishna's orders, India's High Commissioner in Australia, Sujatha Singh, will fly to Melbourne to take charge of the matter.

Australia 'unsafe destination'

The Federation of Indian Students of Australia said the Indian government should declare Australia an unsafe destination for Indian students if the attacks continued.

Student Srinivas Vedantam, who witnessed the Hadfield incident, said the assailants shouted racial abuse.

"We feel we are not safe in this country," he said. "They are taking so many fees and taxes from international students, but they are not protecting us."

Police said they had arrested two youths, aged 16 and 18, over the train attack. The other attacks were being investigated.