An Indian-origin man, Saurabh Anand, was brutally attacked by a group of teenagers in Melbourne while returning home from a pharmacy. The assault took place around 7:30 p.m. on July 19 near the Central Square Shopping Centre in Altona Meadows.
The 33-year-old had just collected medicine when the teens ambushed him, leaving him with severe injuries. Local outlet The Australia Today reported that his hand was nearly severed. Anand was on a phone call with a friend when he was suddenly surrounded.
One of the teens went through his pockets, another repeatedly punched him in the head until he collapsed, and a third pulled out a machete and held it to his throat.
“Within seconds, they had surrounded me,” Anand told The Age. “My instinctive reaction was to bring my arm up to protect my face and wrist. While I was trying to protect myself, the machete just went through my wrist. The second attack went through my hand. The third went through the bone.”
Anand also sustained stab wounds to his shoulder and back, resulting in broken arm bones and a fractured spine.
“All I remember is the pain, and my hand was hanging by a thread,” he said.
Despite his injuries, Anand managed to flee and seek help. “I saw someone and I just yelled out, ‘I’ve been attacked. Please help me’,” he added.
He was rushed to the hospital, where doctors initially feared they would have to amputate his left hand, but were ultimately able to save it.
Police have confirmed that five teenagers were involved in the assault; four have been arrested so far.
