Crime squad investigators say the circumstances leading up to a 29-year-old Indian man being set on fire in an alleged attack on are "unusual" - but not racially motivated.
The man is recovering in hospital in serious condition with burns to his hands, face and legs after parking his car in Melbourne's northwest.
It's alleged that the man was randomly approached by four men who burned his car and set him on fire.
"I believe there's no reason at this stage to consider this in any way racially motivated," Detective Acting Senior Sergeant Neil Smyth told reporters on Saturday.
"The circumstances of parking a car randomly on a side street and just some people approaching him are a bit strange and it's highly unlikely, therefore, to be a targeted attack on any individual."
News that makes sense
Your trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox.
Police were told the man and his wife left a dinner party in Essendon between 1.30am and 2am (AEDT) on Saturday and drove to their nearby home in Grice Crescent.
The man told police he dropped his wife off and then drove to a nearby street to park the car.
As the man was getting out of the vehicle, four men allegedly attacked him, pushed him back against the vehicle and poured an unknown fluid on him.
One of the men is alleged to have then ignited the fluid with a lighter before all four men fled.
The man then ran from the car, throwing his burning clothes into the street.
The man suffered burns to 15 per cent of his body.
The attackers have been described in only a "generalised description which is really just unspecific, just four males," Det Act Snr Sgt Smyth said.
"It is an unusual event," he said.
Neighbours across the street said they heard the car explode into flames but didn't notice any kind of fight or disturbance.
Raymond Yacoub, who has lived in the area for 30 years, said he woke up to see the car ablaze and firefighters spraying it down.
"Actually, to be honest, I thought maybe it was an insurance job," he said.
"Somebody tried to get rid of it. That's what I thought."
Police say their investigation into the incident is a priority and are appealing for any witnesses to contact them.
Acting Prime Minister Julia Gillard said the federal government condemned all violence - regardless of motivation.
"The government condemns all acts of violence in the strongest possible way," she said in a statement on Saturday.
"This matter remains under investigation by the Victorian police," adding that the government would not comment further until police could provide more information.
