Indian man to leave Ireland after violent attack, says community scared amid assaults

An Indian man living in Dublin, Ireland has decided to return to India after being assaulted by a group of teenagers over the weekend, raising fresh concerns about the safety of the Indian community in Ireland.

The man, who requested anonymity, told The Journal that the incident occurred on Sunday evening while he was walking home from Fairview Park. According to his account, one teenager on an electric scooter kicked him in the stomach. As he attempted to leave, two others joined in, punching and kicking him until he fell. He said one attacker struck him above the eye with his own metal water bottle, leaving a deep cut that required stitches at a hospital.

The Irish police confirmed they are investigating the case, describing it as part of a recent series of violent assaults targeting members of the Indian community. The victim said his parents in India urged him to come home following the incident. “Many of my friends are now scared to go outside,” he said, adding that some are also planning to leave Ireland.

India’s Ambassador to Ireland, Akhilesh Mishra, met with Detective Inspector Tony Tighe and Inspector Ciaran P Nunan of An Garda Síochána to discuss the attacks, the Indian Embassy in Ireland said in a statement on Wednesday.

On Tuesday, Ireland’s President Michael D Higgins condemned the violence, stating, “The recent despicable attacks on members of the Indian community stand in stark contradiction to the values that we as a people hold dear.” The Archbishop of Dublin also denounced the “truly shocking” and “unprovoked” assaults.

Amid security concerns, the Ireland India Council postponed its annual “India Day” celebrations, originally scheduled for Sunday in Dublin. The Irish police said investigations are ongoing and officers are “liaising with the injured parties in each case.”