Melbourne/New Delhi, Jan 20 (IANS) A 25-year-old Indian taxi driver was assaulted in this Australian city, prompting India to seek a report from its high commission Wednesday. New Delhi said the continuing attacks on its nationals could “affect bilateral ties”.
Police released images of the couple who allegedly attacked the taxi driver in Melbourne’s northern parts Saturday, hoping people could help identify the suspects from the footage taken during the taxi ride.

There was no evidence the attack was racially motivated, police maintained.

In New Delhi, External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna told reporters: “I have just heard the news. I have sought a report from the Indian High Commission.”

He said the continuing attacks could “affect bilateral ties”.

The Indian driver told the Australian police that he called an ambulance and was treated for facial injuries at the Northern Hospital.

Giving the sequence of events, the victim said that he stopped at the Summerhill Hotel in Reservoir Saturday around 1.25 a.m. where five people were asking for a ride, AAP news agency reported.

He refused to carry them all, because of the car’s legal capacity. He only picked up a man and a woman from the group.

Police stated the woman became angry at the driver for refusing to take her friends with them. The man then punched the driver as he pulled over on Plenty Road and continued to assault him as the couple climbed out of the cab.

The couple then took a tram.

There has been a string of attacks on Indians in Australia with Indian taxi drivers being targeted in some of the recent incidents.

Two Indian taxi drivers, one of whom was a student, were attacked Jan 16 in Australia’s Ballarat city. The attack came a day after a man was sentenced to three months in jail for assaulting and threatening to kill an Indian taxi driver.

The spate of attacks on Indians in Australia has caused an outcry in India. Two of the vicious attacks proved fatal.

While Ranjodh Singh’s body was found Dec 29, another Indian, Nitin Garg, was fatally stabbed in Melbourne Jan 2. An Indian was set on fire in Melbourne Jan 9 while another Indian was assaulted at Coogee beach in Sydney Jan 11.