Targeted Abroad: How Racial Attacks Against Indians Are On The Rise Globally

An Indian man was recently assaulted in Dublin in what police suspect is a hate crime. This is the latest in a disturbing pattern of racist incidents targeting Indians worldwide, raising serious safety concerns. 

A 23-year-old Indian man named Charanpreet Singh was brutally attacked in Adelaide, Australia, in what is being called a racially motivated assault. The incident happened on Saturday night, July 19, while Charanpreet and his wife were out to see light displays in the city. 

As they parked their car near Kintore Avenue around 9:22 pm, a group of five men allegedly surrounded them and began shouting racist abuse. One of the men reportedly told him to 'f… off, Indian' before punching him multiple times. Charanpreet was left unconscious on the roadside and later taken to hospital with serious injuries.

This violent attack is not an isolated case. In recent months and years, several Indians and Indian-origin people have been targeted abroad, from street assaults to racist insults and even mysterious deaths. The global Indian community is now asking: Are we safe?

Dublin assault: False claims, real wounds

An Indian man in his 40s was brutally attacked and stripped in Dublin, Ireland, on July 19. He was falsely accused of acting inappropriately near children, a claim now dismissed by the Irish police. He was attacked by a group of young men in Tallaght, a suburb of Dublin. The attackers beat him and removed his trousers in public. He was rescued by passers-by and taken to Tallaght University Hospital with injuries on his face, arms and legs. 

According to The Irish Times, the attackers falsely claimed the man was behaving inappropriately around children. These lies were further spread by far-right anti-immigrant accounts online. However, the Gardaí (Irish National Police) later confirmed that no wrongdoing was found on the victim’s part.

Authorities are now treating the assault as a possible hate crime. Investigators believe some of the same attackers may have previously targeted foreigners in the area.

Canada: Indian wedding sparks racist rant

In January 2025, a video posted by a user named 'Canadian Girl' triggered a debate on cultural tolerance. Sadie Crowell, a Canadian woman, recorded loud Indian wedding celebrations near her home and said, "Everyone will despise the Indians given enough time."

The video, showing the celebrations and her complaints, went viral. While some sympathised with her annoyance at the noise, many others slammed her post as racist and hateful. The incident showed how cultural celebrations are often viewed through a biased lens, especially when tied to immigrant communities.

Los Angeles: Photographer and family racially abused

In December 2024, Pervez Taufiq, an Indian-American photographer, and his family faced racist abuse at Los Angeles Airport. A woman who had harassed their child on a flight later told the boy to 'shut up' on a United Airlines shuttle bus.

Taufiq posted a video of the incident on Instagram, expressing shock and anger. "This lady was harassing our son… I honestly can’t believe something like this is a real thing," he said. The woman’s husband also reportedly confronted Taufiq aggressively when he asked her to stop speaking rudely to his child.

The video gained attention across social media, further showing the casual racism many Indians face, even while travelling with family.

Singapore: Rapper found guilty over racial comments

Not all hate incidents come from outside the Indian community. In July 2023, Singaporean rapper Subhas Nair, of Indian origin, was convicted for trying to stir racial tensions in the city-state. He had previously been warned for posting a song on YouTube containing offensive lyrics about Chinese people. Later, he posted further comments on social media, breaching his warning.

According to Channel News Asia, Nair was found guilty on four charges of attempting to promote ill will between racial and religious groups. While not a direct attack on Indians, the case shows how racial comments, even by Indians, can damage harmony and lead to serious legal consequences.

United States: Mysterious deaths and violence

Perhaps most disturbing are the frequent reports of young Indian deaths across the US. According to a News18 report on February 2, 2024, at least nine Indian or Indian-American individuals died under suspicious or tragic circumstances in the first month of the year.

Some key cases:

• Shreyas Reddy Benigher, 19, a business student at Ohio’s Linder School.
• Neil Acharya and Sameer Kamath from Purdue University.
• Amarnath Ghosh, a classical dancer, was shot in St Louis.
• Akul Dhawan died of hypothermia outside UIUC.
• Dinesh and Nikesh, found dead from gas leaks in Connecticut.
• Abhijit Paruchuri of Boston University, found dead in his car.

Mohan Nannapaneni, founder of TEAM Aid, a US-based Indian help group, was quoted by news agency PTI saying, "There is at least one death of an Indian every day across the US." Many victims are students or workers on H-1B visas.

These incidents, from public assaults in Europe to racial slurs in North America and deaths of young Indians in the US, show a worrying trend. Whether it is false claims spread online or casual racism in daily life, many Indians living abroad are becoming targets of hate, suspicion or violence.

In some countries, hate crimes are not always prosecuted strongly. Victims often don't know where to report and attackers think they can get away with it.

Governments, both in India and abroad, must take stronger steps to protect the rights and safety of Indian nationals and immigrants. At the same time, awareness, cultural understanding, and quick legal action are essential to prevent such crimes and hold offenders accountable.

Until then, the global Indian community remains on alert and the question remains: How safe are Indians abroad?