Indian Student, An IIT Graduate, Stabbed Repeatedly In Sydney; 1 Arrested

An Indian student in Australia is in hospital after being stabbed 11 times last week in a brutal knife attack that his family alleges was a hate crime. 

Shubham Garg, 28, an IIT graduate pursuing a PhD from the University of New South Wales in Sydney, was attacked on October 6.

His family in Uttar Pradesh's Agra was granted a visa today, more than a week after the attack. They had appealed to the government to facilitate a visa for Shubham's brother to travel to Australia. Speaking to NDTV today, they broke down on camera as they pleaded for help.

Shubham went to Australia on September 1 after graduating from IIT-Madras.

On October 6, at around 10.30 pm, he was returning from an ATM with cash when he was approached by a man who demanded his money and threatened him with a knife. When he refused, the attacker stabbed him repeatedly before running away.

The Indian High Commission is in close touch with local authorities, the Foreign Ministry said. "We expect matter is dealt with seriously and action is taken against perpetrators," it said.

Shubham suffered multiple wounds to his face, chest and abdomen. In that state, he managed to go to a nearby house, and was taken to hospital.

"Shubham somehow survived the attack. We found out on October 8 when he didn't answer my call and we called his friend," said his father, Ramniwas Garg, choking up.

"He had an 11-hour surgery in his abdomen. I request the government to help with my son's treatment and a visa for my younger son," he said.

A 27-year-old man has been arrested and charged with attempted murder. The attacker wasn't known to Shubham, according to reports. Sources also told NDTV there is no evidence that it was a racist attack.

Shubham needed several surgeries, his sister Kavya Garg said in tweets appealing to the government to help the family with emergency visas.

"My brother Shubham Garg, 28, from UP, was brutually attacked in Sydney, Australia 11 times with knife and he is in critical condition. We seek your immediate help in this matter and emergency visa to family member to look after him," Kavya Garg posted on Wednesday, tagging Prime Minister Narendra Modi's office, Union Foreign Minister S Jaishankar and UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

Yesterday, she tweeted: "Update!! My brother is going through multiple operations and doctor said that infection is spreading in body. Requesting @narendramodi for urgent help on this matter."

The family went to a BJP MP, Rajkumar Chahar, who reportedly assured them that the Indian mission in Sydney was taking the case "very seriously".

"The Indian consulate in Sydney has provided consular assistance to the individual. The Australian High Commission has helped with the facilitation of a visa for a family member," a spokesperson of the Australian High Commission told NDTV.