Police say the defeat of the Tamil Tigers in Sri Lanka triggered a violent home invasion in Sydney last night, which left two men in hospital with acid burns.
Up to five men broke into a home at Westmead in the city's west just before midnight.
Two men were hiding in a bedroom but the invaders found them and threw acid at their faces.
One of the men was also stabbed in the stomach and had his ankle broken, he is in a serious but stable condition at Westmead Hospital.
The other man has been put in an induced coma and taken to the burns unit at Concord Hospital.
Both victims are still to be formally interviewed by police.
Windows smashed
ABC police reporter Lucy McNally says the small brick house has been so badly vandalised, it looks like a vacant home.
She says the front windows have been smashed and there is blood on the driveway.
There is also a large hole in the door of the bedroom where the men tried to hide.
The acting Consul General for Sri Lanka Gothami Indikadahena arrived to inspect the crime scene this morning.
Mrs Indikadahena cried as she spoke to reporters.
"They are students, foreign students, and so their families have been informed and they are very worried. Because the boy who is in Concord Hospital is serious, he is, he is struggling for his life," she said.
Five people arrested
Earlier in the day, five people were arrested over a brawl between a pro Tamil group and supporters of the Sri Lankan government in Wentworthville.
The brawl involved up to 100 people in a shopping centre carpark.
Police believe the violence began shortly before, at Westmead train station.
A man snapped a Tamil flag which was on a car, prompting retaliation from two car loads of people.
That man is also being treated in hospital.
The President of the Sri Lankan Association of New South Wales has condemned the violence.
Doctor Ruwan Walpola says Sri Lankans and Tamils in Australia have managed to live in harmony.
"I'm really surprised that it has come down to this point so hopefully this will be a one-off incident," he said.
Tamil spokeswoman, Dr Sam Pari says community leaders called for calm after yesterday's brawl.
"Last evening as soon as this happened people went on the community radio stations...(there were) SMS, emails being sent around saying don't be provoked," she said.
Westmead police say the victims of the home invasion did not know their attackers.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment