A six-year-old girl of Indian origin was subjected to a racist attack in Waterford City, Ireland, on Monday evening. The young girl was playing with her friends outside her home when she was accosted by a group of older children. The attackers, consisting of boys aged 12 to 14 and one girl aged around eight, hurled racial slurs at her, telling her to "go back to India" and calling her a "dirty Indian". The victim was born in Ireland.
The verbal abuse quickly escalated into physical violence. According to the girl's mother, five of the children punched her in the face, hit her in the private parts with a bicycle wheel, punched her neck, and twisted her hair. The attack occurred while the girl's mother was inside feeding her 10-month-old baby. The girl returned home "very upset" and crying.
The mother, Anupa Achuthan, who has been living in Ireland for eight years and recently became an Irish citizen, expressed her shock and sadness. "I feel so sad for her. I could not protect her. I never expected that such an incident would happen. I thought she would be safe here," she told the Irish Mirror. She also shared that her daughter is now afraid to play outside. "Even in front of our own house she can't play safely," she lamented.
Anupa, who works as a nurse, highlighted her contribution to Irish society, stating, "We came here to fill a labor gap. We are professionals - we have all the certificates. I believe this is my country also. I belong here". She further added, "I am a nurse, I am doing my best to take care of people. I do my work and I am 100% professional. I changed my citizenship, but still we are called dirty people and even my kids are not safe".
The Gardaí (Irish national police) are investigating the incident, which took place in the Kilbarry area of Waterford City. A Garda spokesperson confirmed that they responded to a report of an alleged assault and that investigations are ongoing.
This attack is the latest in a series of recent assaults targeting Indian nationals and people of Indian origin in Ireland. Just prior to this incident, Laxman Das, an Indian sous chef in Dublin, was attacked and robbed while going to work. These incidents have raised concerns within the Indian community about increasing racism in Ireland. The Indian embassy has urged Indians in Ireland to exercise caution.
The girl's mother stated that she doesn't want the young boys to be punished, but that they need counseling. "They have to be aware of this. I accept that they are kids, but they have to know how to treat other kids well," Anupa said.
