Hobart community 'calls for answers' after alleged assault leaves international student in a coma

Following an alleged attack in Salamanca, an international student from India was placed in a medically induced coma. According to police, there is no evidence to suggest the incident was racially motivated.

The victim who has had serious head injuries is admitted in the Royal Hobart Hospital. This image was circulated online by loved ones of the victim, seeking help and support.

Key Points

• An Indian-origin international student is in a medically induced coma following an alleged attack in Salamanca, Hobart.
• Community members are demanding support to help the victim's family with legal and financial aid.
• While the university is assisting the victim, there are calls for more accountability and safety measures for international students.

An international student from India remains in a medically induced coma following an alleged attack in the Hobart night strip on 5 November.

The man in his 20s, who is pursuing a master’s degree at the University of Tasmania, was rushed to the Royal Hobart Hospital soon after the incident.

The attack occurred around 4:20am on Sunday morning, and the victim had ‘extra jural bleeding’ that caused his brain to shift.

According to reports, his right lung collapsed and he had to undergo brain surgery, a procedure lasting several hours.

Benjamin Dodge Collings, a 25-year-old resident of Lenah Valley, was taken into custody by police shortly after the event and charged with criminal code assault, an offence carrying a maximum sentence of 21 years in prison.

Mr Collings was granted a magistrate bail and is scheduled to return to court on 4 December to respond to the charges, including assault, providing a false address and name, resisting a police officer, and unrelated driving offences.

A spokesperson from Tasmania Police told SBS Hindi: “Police have conducted a full investigation in relation to the assault and there is no evidence to suggest the incident was racially motivated."

Community speaks

A post in the Facebook group 'Indians in Tasmania' - which has been shared on Facebook and Instagram - is demanding justice for the victim.

Germanjit Singh Gill, a community member residing in Tasmania, is ‘extremely saddened’ by the incident.

“The person charged has been set out on bail whereas the poor man is fighting for his life,” he said.

Someone assaulted our brother for no reason, and we can’t even ask questions? We are harnessing community support to help the victim.

Germanjit Singh Gill, Hobart resident

Tajrin Jahan Hussain, who is on a campaign to spread awareness of the incident and its aftermath, said similar incidents occur on weekends in Tasmania but tend to go unreported.

“I have been trying to get in touch with the victim’s family but haven’t been able to do so,” he said.

The whole community is concerned and downhearted.

Tajrin Jahan Hussain, Hobart resident

Mr Hussain and fellow community members are raising awareness on the issue of international student safety and security.

Friends of the victim revealed that his family back in Assam, India, do not have passports to travel overseas to check on their relative.

University’s stance

The University of Tasmania’s Media Director, Ben Wild, said the establishment is aware of the incident.

Asked what measures the university has taken to assist the student in these difficult times, Mr Wild said they have been in very regular contact with the family and have assigned a complex case manager to the case, along with translators, liaison, accommodation and other support.

“The case has gone through the court system as well and we are very limited in what we can say,” he said.

The university's Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), Professor Ian Anderson, issued an official statement to SBS Hindi, which said they are providing support.

There is nothing more important than the wellbeing of all of our students. We have a range of programs and services to keep people safe when they are on campus, such as our Safe and Fair Community Unit, and provide advice and support to students about staying safe when they are off campus.

Professor Ian Anderson, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) of University of Tasmania

Hriti Jerath, a third-year media student from Monash University, believes universities as well as communities need to do more around awareness when it comes to such incidents.

“Well, it is upsetting to see very little discussion around such incidents. It really is.”

New government data reveals about one in 40 people living in Australia – 855,000 – are on a student or graduate visa. Source: Getty / Getty Images

She said that although universities have safety programs and guidelines being discussed during orientations, the vast amount of information during that period makes it difficult for topics like personal safety to be given the attention it deserves.

Furthermore, she feels that the universities must enforce a roadmap and guidelines to respond to such incidents, and she's calling for education institutes to have a certified framework and protocol in distressing times to ensure that international students don't feel alone.

"If you ask me, in three years of my university life, I was never told how the university authorities will help me psychologically, financially or in a legal manner if I went through a series of injuries or a major accident," she said.

Universities take huge chunks of money from us, and we do expect a lot more. Today it's him, tomorrow it could be me or maybe you … anybody, who knows?

Hriti Jerath, student