Melbourne: In the wake of rising incidents of violence against Indian students here, a new helpline service to protect them and improve their personal security will be launched.
The new service, a part of the initiative by 'Police Indian Western Reference Group' that was formed of local police and Indian community members here, will come into effect on Friday.
The helpline will provide guidance on what to do and where to go in an emergency situation.
Commenting on the Saturday's attack on a 21-year-old Indian student, Victorian police spokesperson told PTI that the local police are carrying out proactive crime prevention work with Universities in particularly with overseas students, to help them improve their personal security.
Meanwhile, a media report said here that statistics obtained by opposition under Freedom of Information laws revealed that violent crimes against persons in a western region of Melton rose by 101 per cent from 2000-2001 to 2007-2008. There was an increase of 51 per cent over the same period in another western suburb of Brimbank.
However, Federation of Indian Students of Australia maintained its version that police has failed to curb racist attacks against Indians and reference group and it did not see many positive developments from the reference group.