Melbourne:
Two locals, who allegedly abused a group of Indians and vandalised their car, were beaten up by them in Melbourne, police said on Monday.
Commenting on the issue, External Affairs Minister SM Krishna said, "I don't recommend students take the law into their own hands, but self-defence is something which is fundamental in nature."
The incident took place at a car park outside Meadowglen International Athletics Stadium in Epping, when a local skateboarder damaged the rear window of a car belonging to an Indian.
The skateboarder also used abusive language against some Indians who were coming out of the stadium where a Kabaddi match had just ended.
"Associates of the people, whose car was damaged, came to their assistance. Two men were assaulted and hit with sticks in the brawl. These two injured men were from the group outside who had allegedly started to verbally abuse the people from the vehicle," police said. The two men, aged 25 and 42, were taken to Northern Hospital with minor injuries, they said.
However, no arrests have been made and the incident is under investigation.
"A lot of people were leaving, the presentations were on at the time, I spoke to one of the boys that was there and he said a guy had smashed the rear window of a car that was leaving," Councillor from the City of Darebin Tim Singh, who was present at the awards ceremony for the Kabaddi tournament, was quoted as saying by the media.