A 22-year-old Sikh nurse experienced emotional trauma and was left with a broken nose after an alleged racially motivated assault outside a gym in Corio, Geelong, in Australia.
Harmanpreet Singh said the attack unfolded late on Tuesday night after he finished a workout at a local gym.
According to Singh, the harassment began while he was still training and escalated when he stepped out of the facility, where three men were allegedly waiting for him.
Speaking to Australian broadcaster 9News, Singh recounted the horrifying moment one of the men headbutted him.
“He got really close to my face and then just got really back and hit his head on my nose. And just started bleeding straight away,” Singh said.
Verbal abuse before attack
Video accessed by the channel reportedly showed one of the men shouting, “Wanna mouth off, you Indian dog?” He was also allegedly told to “go back to where you came from” during the confrontation.
Singh said the trio fled the scene in a sedan soon after the assault, leaving him bleeding profusely. He was taken to hospital and spent the night under medical supervision. Doctors have indicated that he may require specialist consultation and possible surgery for his injuries.
“Nobody wants to hear it… especially when you’re just minding your own business,” he told 9News. “Anyone would be hurt. I’m still traumatised.”
The 22-year-old nurse said this was not the first time he had faced racial abuse in Australia, but described the latest incident as deeply distressing. The attack has left him questioning his sense of safety.
“I don’t know if I’m going to go back to the gym… I’m not going to feel safe after this,” he said.
The incident comes amid concerns over a rise in racist attacks targeting the Indian community in Australia, one of the country’s largest migrant groups, numbering over 8.4 lakh people as of mid-2023.
Last year, Australia witnessed a series of alleged racial attacks against Indians. In July 2025, a 23-year-old Indian student, Amanpreet Singh, was hospitalised after a violent and allegedly racially motivated assault in central Adelaide.
According to reports, five men armed with metal knuckles or sharp objects attacked him without warning.
He was left unconscious with serious injuries, including facial fractures and brain trauma, as reported by The Australia Today.
There have also been instances of vandalism targeting places of worship, including the Shree Swaminarayan Hindu temple in Melbourne, further fuelling anxiety within sections of the Indian diaspora.
Community members say the attacks have escalated following anti-immigration protests held across parts of Australia last year, raising fresh concerns about the safety and security of migrants in the country.
