A 24-year-old student from Gujarat was attacked by a group of men here, the latest in a spate of assaults targeting the community members in Australia. Hardik Bipinbhai Patel from Surat was attacked by three people while he was about to enter his car on Friday night.

Patel, who is pursuing a course in commercial cookery at the Melbourne University, said two people came in front of him while he was about to enter his car and punched him on his face. “Then someone hit me on my head from behind and I fell unconscious. When I woke up I was found far away from the area and an elderly man helped me reach hospital,” said Patel, who suffered face injuries in the assault. He said the attackers took his mobile, wallet and car keys and looked like drug addicts. Patel was discharged from hospital on Saturday.