Six-Year-Old Indian-Origin Girl Brutally Racially Attacked in Waterford, Ireland; Mother Shares Harrowing Account

A deeply disturbing incident of racial violence has come to light in Waterford, Ireland, where a six-year-old girl of Indian origin was brutally assaulted by a group of children outside her home. The attackers, consisting of several boys aged 12 to 14 and a girl around eight, targeted the girl with racial slurs including "dirty Indian" and "go back to India." During the assault, five boys punched her in the face, one boy hit her private parts with a bicycle wheel causing severe injury, and she was also punched in the neck and had her hair twisted.

The girl's mother, Anupa Achuthan, who has been living and working in Ireland for eight years and recently obtained Irish citizenship, recounted the horrifying incident in an interview. She said the attack occurred on a Monday evening around 7:30 pm when her daughter was playing outside with friends. While the mother briefly went inside to feed her 10-month-old son, the girl was left alone for just a few minutes. When the mother returned, her daughter came inside crying, too scared to speak.

Achuthan said, “I had never seen my daughter like this before. One of her friends told me that a gang of older boys had punched her and pushed a bicycle wheel against her private parts. They were shouting racial abuse.” The mother emphasized that despite becoming an Irish citizen and contributing to society as a nurse, her family remains targets of discrimination and even her children are not safe.

The family has filed a complaint with the Gardaí, the Irish national police, who have confirmed that investigations are ongoing. Achuthan hopes the attackers receive counselling rather than harsh punishment.

This assault appears to be the first reported racist attack on a child of Indian origin in Ireland but comes amid a surge in racially motivated attacks against Indians in the country. Recent weeks have seen several violent incidents targeting Indian nationals and Indian-origin residents in Dublin and other parts of Ireland, prompting the Indian Embassy in Dublin to issue an advisory urging Indians to avoid deserted areas and stay vigilant.

The embassy also emphasized its close coordination with Irish authorities to ensure the safety of Indian citizens. These rising attacks have sparked concern and calls for greater awareness and proactive measures to address racism and protect minority communities in Ireland.

The injured girl remains traumatized and fearful of playing outside, even in front of her own home, underscoring the urgent need to combat racist violence and foster a safer environment for all.