Once regarded as a beacon of peace and safety for immigrants, Ireland is grappling with a disturbing uptick in racial attacks targeting the Indian community. The latest heart-wrenching incident involves a six-year-old Malayali girl, Nia Naveen, who was brutally assaulted by a gang of teenagers while playing outside her home in Waterford City. This attack, occurring on August 4, 2025, has not only shattered her family’s sense of security but has also amplified calls for stronger protections amid a broader wave of xenophobic violence against Indians in the country. Reports indicate that incidents of hate crimes have risen sharply, with Indian nationals, many contributing to sectors like healthcare and IT,now living in fear.
The Assault on a Child: A Family’s Nightmare
Nia Naveen, born in Ireland to parents from Kottayam in Kerala, was riding her bicycle with friends outside her Kilbarry home on a seemingly ordinary Monday evening when the attack unfolded. Her mother, Anubha Achyuthanand (also referred to as Anupa Achuthan in some reports), a nurse who has lived in Ireland for eight years, had briefly stepped inside to feed her 10-month-old son. Moments later, Nia rushed indoors crying, recounting how a group of five to six boys, aged between 12 and 15, punched her in the face and neck, pulled her hair, and hurled racial slurs such as “You dirty Indian, go back to your country.” In a particularly horrifying detail, the assailants allegedly rammed a bicycle wheel into her private parts, leaving the child traumatized and scared of “bad boys coming.”
Anubha, speaking to local Malayalam media channels and international outlets, expressed profound shock, noting that the family had never encountered such hostility before. “I could not protect her,” she lamented, describing how she spotted the group outside but chose not to confront them due to Ireland’s strict laws protecting teenagers, fearing escalation. Instead, she informed her husband, Naveen, who was on a night shift, and they reported the incident to the local Gardaà (Irish police). However, the complaint was not registered for two days, a delay the couple attributes to the country’s sensitive stance toward juvenile offenders. The family, now deeply shaken, has seen Nia refuse to play outside, with the incident prompting widespread outrage from Malayali associations, migrant groups, and political organizations. These groups have rallied for migrant safety and liaised with the Indian Embassy, which has been informed through various channels.
Indian Embassy’s Response
In the wake of this and other attacks, the Indian Embassy in Dublin issued a safety advisory on August 1, 2025, urging Indian citizens to exercise “reasonable precautions” for personal security, avoid deserted areas especially at odd hours, and contact emergency lines if needed. The advisory highlighted an “increase in the instances of physical attacks reported against Indian citizens in Ireland recently” and confirmed ongoing communication with Irish authorities. Ambassador Akhilesh Mishra has publicly expressed shock over the incidents, emphasizing the embassy’s priority on community well-being.This move has been echoed by protests, including a “Stand Against Racism” vigil attended by over 800 people from diverse communities, marching with banners reading “Say No to Racism” and “Ireland is Home.”
Past Attacks on Taxi Driver and Scientist
In another alarming case, Lakhvir Singh, an Indian-origin taxi driver in his 40s who has resided in Ireland for over 23 years, was viciously attacked on August 1, 2025, in Dublin’s Ballymun suburb. Singh picked up two young men in their 20s late at night, but upon reaching Poppintree, they struck him twice on the head with a bottle before fleeing while shouting, “Go back to your own country.” The unprovoked assault left Singh requiring 12 stitches at Beaumont Hospital for non-life-threatening injuries, but the psychological toll has been immense. “In 10 years, I’ve never seen anything like this happen,” he told local media, adding that he is now “really scared” and off the road, with his children traumatized. Gardaà are investigating the incident as a potential hate crime, amid concerns that such attacks are emboldening perpetrators.
On July 19, 2025, a 40-year-old Indian man was subjected to a savage assault in Tallaght’s Parkhill Road, described by locals as “mindless, racist violence.” Walking to his temple, the victim was ambushed by around 10 teenagers who stabbed him multiple times in the face, beat him, and stripped him from the waist down, leaving him bloodied and semi-naked on the street for over an hour before aid arrived. The attack, captured in disturbing footage that circulated online, prompted an immediate Gardaà investigation classified as racially motivated. The embassy has been in direct contact with the victim and his family, offering assistance, while community leaders like Fine Gael Councillor Baby Pereppadan have highlighted the critical contributions of Indian migrants in healthcare and IT, urging greater understanding and protection.
Just days after the Tallaght incident, Dr. Santosh Yadav, an Indian-origin AI scientist and entrepreneur, was assaulted by six teenagers near his Dublin apartment on July 31, 2025. Attacked from behind after dinner, Yadav suffered a fractured cheekbone and injuries to his head, face, neck, chest, hands, and legs, left bleeding on the pavement. In a LinkedIn post that went viral, he stressed the surge in “unprovoked racist attacks” on Indian men and minorities across Dublin’s buses, housing estates, and streets, criticizing government inaction. Additional reports include a 51-year-old Indian-origin man, Laxman Das, assaulted and robbed in south Dublin on August 8, 2025, and a hotel worker targeted in a similar hate-fueled incident.
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