Zeack News

Natasha Chaku

Melbourne, Jun 9 : Indian students, who have reportedly formed groups to patrol troubled areas to prevent racial attacks on the community members, have been asked by the police to stop the practice and let them do their jobs.



The Indians have reportedly formed groups to protect students from racial attacks at St Albans and Thomastown railway stations of the Melbourne's west after a spate of assaults on the community members in the area, 'The Age' newspaper reported today.



Indians conducting their own security patrols should "leave and let police do their jobs", a Victoria Police spokeswoman was quoted by the newspaper as saying.



She said police had already boosted patrols on the troubled train line, the railway stations and at a St Albans shopping centre to prevent such violence.



"We have been talking to them about their concerns and because of that have increased patrols in the area," she said.



The students have complied to police request to move but then returned the following night or gone to other locations, the spokeswoman said.



Earlier, it was reported yesterday that a 20-year-old man was stabbed in a western suburb of Melbourne after he had allegedly racially abused a group of Indian students here in possibly the first act of retaliation.