Oz police step up efforts to identify Garg's killer

Melbourne: Australia's police on Thursday stepped up efforts to identify the killer of 21-year old Indian-youth Nitin Garg who was brutally murdered recently, even as it asked his unidentified assailants to surrender.

Inspector Bernie Edwards, Australia's leading homicide squad detective appealed to public for information on the murder, which occurred in a Melbourne park last Saturday night as the 21-year old Indian was going to work at the nearby Yarraville Hungry Jacks restaurant.

Edwards has asked the killer of Garg to surrender guaranteeing him safety. An information caravan was set up near the site on Thursday. Police are hoping it will jog someone's memory and lead them to come up with information.

They are particularly interested in talking to a person who jumped into a taxi on Somerville Road, opposite the Hungry Jacks outlet, around 9.50pm (local time).

"A person caught a taxi outside the news-agency opposite Hungry Jack's, and we are appealing for them to come forward, or any taxi drivers who collected a fare at around the location," Edwards said, adding, "We believe that person is a witness and may be able to identify people who were in the park or saw the offence occur."

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He appealed to the offender to surrender to police. "If the person who stabbed (Mr Garg) is listening, we are appealing for that person to come forward," Edwards said.

"Whether he wants to ring me, my people at Homicide or Crime Stoppers, I will ensure that persons safety."

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Edwards said Gargs killing remained a senseless act. "Irrespective of what people have been saying, and all the motives we have heard about, it is purely and simply a murder - tragic, senseless and totally unacceptable in our society," he said.