Melbourne, Jan. 4 (ANI): Acting Victoria Premier Rob Hull on Monday said that people should not jump to conclusions about the stabbing of an Indian man being a racial attack.

“The tragic death of a young Indian lad is, I repeat, abhorrent, it is a heinous crime and it is something that the police are putting all resources into investigating and finding the culprit,” he said.

“I don’t think anyone should jump to conclusions at this stage. I think it’s important that police be allowed to get on with the job of investigating this heinous crime,” he added.

Nitin Garg, 21, was stabbed as he walked to his part time job at Hungry Jack’s in West Footscray on Saturday night. He died later in hospital.

Hulls said Victoria remained one of the safest places in the world, with crime rates falling dramatically in the past few years.

The government had introduced new legislation requiring judges to consider hate crime in sentencing violent offenders and police had extra powers to conduct random weapons searches, he said.

“We will continue to do what we can as a government to reduce crime, to make Victoria a safe place to live, a safe place to have holidays, a safe place to visit,” Hulls said. (ANI)