Posts Tagged ‘Copper Tiffin Restaurant’

RESTAURANT BURNT IN AUSTRALIA

July 6th, 2010 by Ravi Matah | Posted in News   Comments Off on RESTAURANT BURNT IN AUSTRALIA

INDIAN TARGETTED IN AUSTRALIA

Melbourne: An explosion triggered by a suspected arson attack ripped apart an Indian restaurant in Sydney, prompting police to investigate the possible links of the incident to a bomb threat.

The restaurant was engulfed by fire, which police suspect was ‘deliberately lit’. Police are investigating if the explosion is related to a bomb threat made to the Copper Tiffin Restaurant on Cleveland Street some time back, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.

An unnamed nearby restaurant owner said he had heard a “loud explosion, like bomb” just after 11:30 pm. The explosion threw out debris and caused glass and signs to cover the road.

The Indian restaurant in Sydney was last night engulfed by fire, which police suspect was ‘deliberately lit’ and four people escaped unhurt in the incident.

“Then I see people climbing out of a window, about four, very lucky,” he said. Two people were seen running away from the site just after 11.30 pm as fire engulfed the building, witnesses told police. Shortly thereafter, an explosion was heard and a witness said the front of the shop was missing.

Police and firies reportedly said the blaze was ‘deliberately lit’ and that they were hunting for two men who were seen running away from the scene. The explosion damaged property but four people at a residential property above the restaurant escaped, with only one needing hospital treatment for smoke inhalation.

A spokesman for NSW Fire Brigades said around 20 firies managed to bring the blaze under control just after midnight and it was prevented from spreading to neighbouring properties. The exact cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained, the report said.

The witness said police had been at the same site “about two weeks ago” and cleared out several restaurants along the Cleveland St strip, possibly related to a bomb threat.

Yash Desai, owner of the ‘Copper Tiffin’ Restaurant told the media that, “I have not been allowed to enter the premises as the Police are investigating the cause of the blast. I don’t know what to say, I am at a loss of words, a rift has been created”. He further added that “My request is not to term this as a racial attack as we are not aware”.

Residents of Cleveland Street staying opposite the restaurant said that they heard of a loud explosion, hearing which they came out and saw the restaurant burning.

All is not safe for Indians residing in Australia. The Australian Police claim that assault cases against Indians have come down, but recently an Indian student was attacked by four teenage boys who tried to snatch away his money as he was walking towards his home after finishing his day at the part-time job.

Hervir Singh, a hospitality student was attacked at night in Ringwood Area. He told ABC “Suddenly four or five boys attacked me. They tried to snatch money from me, I ran away from there and told the Police.

The incident came as the Victorian Police commander Trevor Carter said that, though the crime data is yet to be finalised, the incidents against Indian students has gone down.

A fortnight ago, 61 year old Indian was found dead with stab injuries in Australia, the  police said.

The  man who had been living in Doncaster for some time was  found  dead next to a Park land in the Koonung Creek reserve, near Estelle Street, Bulleen, about 10.50 am Sunday, head of homicide, Bernie Edwards, was quoted as saying. The Police are investigating.

And to add fuel to the fire, the justice is also eluding the victims. None of the Australians who thrashed an Indian student leaving him partially blind has got custodial sentences, with the last of the teenagers getting a suspended jail term on Wednesday last.

The teenagers who viciously attacked the Indian in March 2008 outside a Melbourne suburban train station have not even been locked up, the Herald Sun reported.

One of the teenagers, Majang Ngor, was given a suspended jail term and community work over the attack.

The rest of the gang members, aged less than 18 at the time of the incident, were recently sentenced in the Children’s Court and given nine-month supervision.

Ravi Matah.