London, Aug 7: A six-year-old Indian-origin girl and an Indian sous chef have become the latest victims in a disturbing series of racially motivated attacks in Ireland, raising serious concerns about the safety of Indian nationals and persons of Indian origin in the country.
The young girl, born in Ireland to parents from Kottayam, Kerala, was assaulted on Monday evening while playing outside her home in Waterford City in southeast Ireland. According to her mother, a gang of teenage boys and a younger girl verbally abused the child, calling her a “dirty Indian” and telling her to “go back to India.” The incident escalated when five of the group physically attacked her — punching her face, hitting her in the groin with a bicycle, pulling her hair, and striking her neck.
“I never imagined such a thing would happen to my daughter,” the mother told the Irish Mirror. “We thought we were safe here. I came to Ireland eight years ago to work as a nurse and became an Irish citizen. But now even my child is not safe outside our home.”
The mother, an alumna of the University of Calicut and Mount Carmel Higher Secondary School in Kottayam, expressed shock and heartbreak over the assault, emphasizing her dedication to her profession and her disappointment at the racism her family continues to face.
The Irish national police, Gardaí, confirmed the incident. “Gardaí responded to a report of an alleged assault in the Kilbarry area of Waterford city on the evening of Monday, 4 August. Investigations are ongoing,” a spokesperson told The Times of India.
Just two days later, on Wednesday morning, another Indian national was attacked in Dublin. Laxman Das, a sous chef from Kolkata working at the Anantara The Marker Dublin Hotel, was assaulted near the Hilton Hotel while on his way to work. He was attacked by three individuals who stole his phone, cash, and electric bike. Das was hospitalized at St Vincent’s University Hospital following the assault.
These incidents are part of a growing wave of violence targeting Indian-origin individuals in Ireland. Previous attacks were reported on July 19, July 24, July 27, and August 1, including the assault of an Indian cab driver. So far, Gardaí have not made any arrests in connection with the recent attacks but say investigations are ongoing.
The spate of assaults has sparked alarm among the Indian community in Ireland and raised questions about how authorities are addressing racially motivated crimes.
