Dublin, August 07: A six-year-old girl of Indian origin was viciously assaulted by a group of older children in Waterford, Ireland, while they allegedly shouted racist slurs, including “Go back to India”. The attackers, mostly boys aged between 12 and 14, reportedly hit her in the private parts using a bicycle and punched her in the face and neck. This marks the first known racist assault targeting an Indian-origin child in Ireland, amid rising concerns about safety for the Indian community in the country.

The incident occurred on Monday, August 4, as the child was playing outside her home with friends. Her mother, who has lived in Ireland for eight years and recently became a citizen, was watching her from the window but had to step away momentarily to tend to her 10-month-old baby. In less than a minute, her daughter returned crying and traumatised. Indian Embassy in Dublin Issues Advisory Amid Reported Rise in Attacks on Indians in Ireland, Urges Nationals To Stay Vigilant.

‘They Called Her Dirty Indian’: Child Left Traumatised

According to the mother’s account to The Irish Mirror, her daughter’s friend revealed that a group of boys pushed a bicycle onto her private parts and five of them punched her in the face. The gang also twisted her hair, hit her neck, and repeatedly hurled the F-word and racist slurs. “She couldn’t even talk, she was so scared,” the mother said. Indian-Origin Man Attacked in Australia: Saurabh Anand Severely Injured After Being Brutally Attacked With Machete in Melbourne; Hand Reattached After Near Amputation.

The family had moved to the Kilbarry area of Waterford City only in January this year. Since the attack, the girl has been afraid to leave the house. “We no longer feel safe here,” her mother said tearfully.

Mother Files Complaint, Calls for Counselling Over Punishment

The mother reported the incident to the Garda (Irish police), but rather than seeking punishment, she hopes for counselling and proper intervention for the minors involved. She also expressed frustration at the systemic neglect of immigrant safety. “We came to fill a labour gap. We are trained professionals. We need protection too,” she added.

The incident comes amid a worrying spike in racist violence targeting Indians in Ireland. Just last month, a 40-year-old Indian man was publicly beaten and stripped in Dublin’s Tallaght suburb.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 07, 2025 09:07 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).