Slim chances of Andhra student's recovery: Indian Consul Gen

Natasha Chaku

Melbourne, May 27 (PTI) A youth from southern Indian
state of Andhra Pradesh, who was among four Indians attacked
by a group of teenagers here, is battling for life and doctors
are "not very optimistic" about chances of his recovery, a top
Indian diplomat said Wednesday, noting that the issue has been
taken up with Australia.

Shravan Kumar -- the 25-year-old student who was attacked
by a screwdriver over the weekend along with his three friends
-- is in the Intensive Care Unit of a hospital here, India's
Consul General in Melbourne, Anita Nair, said.

"The doctors at this point of time are not very
optimistic about his chances but they are waiting for the
situation to be clearer and they say they will be able to give
us a better diagnosis in a day or two," she told NDTV, adding
"we are monitoring the situation regularly with the hospital."

About the general problem of the students being attacked,
Nair, who visited the hospital where Kumar is admitted, said
the Indian officials have been taking up the issue with the
Victorian state government on a regular basis.

"There have been regular consultations on what needs to
be done to solve the problem. Police have established a
reference group to interact with the Indian community to try
and increase the awareness of these safety issues," she said.

One of Kumar's pals Siniwas Gandhi, who had a narrow
escape during the attack, also said that his friend is in a
critical condition.

"Doctors are still unsure if Kumar will survive and if he
does, he will lose his vision or memory," Gandhi said.

The four Indian students were attacked by a group of
teenagers while they were partying here over the weekend,
leaving Kumar seriously injured.

Gandhi said the attackers abused them and asked them to
go back to India. They were hit with a screwdriver by the
attackers who apparently were in an inebriated state.

Of the three friends of Kumar, who were discharged after
initial medical treatment, two were back in hospital as they
were still experiencing severe pain.

Gandhi said police had asked them to take care of
their own security and even said that they "can't go on
protecting each and everyone".

He said they were also told to change their residence
in a bid to protect themselves.

Kumar, hailing from Andhra Pradesh, came to Australia two
years ago and was a student of automotive engineering at the
Cambridge International College here.

Violent attacks on Indian students have risen over the
last few years. The weekend attack on Kumar and his friends
was the second in a month. Earlier, 21-year old Indian student
Sourabh Sharma was attacked and racially taunted while he was
travelling in a train. PTI NC
RKM
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