A 22-year-old Indian student, studying MTech in Australia, was allegedly stabbed to death as he tried to intervene in a fight between a group of Indian students, the victim’s uncle said Monday (May 6, 2024).
The incident took place on Sunday at 9 pm local time in Melbourne. Another student was also seriously injured during the fight.
According to the victim’s uncle, the deceased, identified as Navjeet Sandhu, was “fatally stabbed in the chest” with a knife by another student when he was trying to mediate a confrontation over a dispute related to rent between a group of Indian students.
“Navjeet’s friend (another Indian student) had asked him to accompany him to his house to pick up his belongings as he had a car. While his friend went inside, Navjeet heard some shouting and saw there was a fight. When Navjeet tried to intervene asking them not to fight, he was fatally stabbed in the chest with a knife,” said the victim’s uncle, Yashvir, in Haryana’s Karnal.
The accused also hail from Karnal.
The Victoria police department has released images of two people involved in the stabbing in Ormond in Melbourne’s south-east.
“A search is currently underway for brothers Abhijeet and Robin Gartan, both of Indian descent,” the Victoria Police department said.
“Abhijeet is 26-years-old and described as being 170 cm tall with a solid build and black hair, Gartan is 27-years-old and is also described as being 170 cm tall with a solid build and black hair,” they added.
As per the police, the accused were “travelling in a stolen 2014 white Toyota Camry sedan with registration 1ZO 2QW”.
“Navjeet was a brilliant student and was to join his family in July for vacations,” Yashvir said, adding that the family is in a complete state of shock after the incident.
Navjeet was on a one-and-a-half-year work visa in Australia, according to Yashvir.
He also said that Navjeet’s father had sold one-and-half acres of their land to fund his education in Australia.