Charanpreet Singh flees Adelaide as Illuminate Festival accused win bail

The young man says he fears for his safety after his alleged attackers were granted bail over an incident that’s now making headlines in India.

The victim of an alleged attack at the Illuminate festival in Adelaide’s CBD has fled the city, saying he no longer feels safe after learning one of his alleged attackers was granted bail while he was still in hospital.

Charanpreet Singh, 23, was with his wife near Kintore Ave on Saturday night when a group of five men allegedly ambushed him in his car in a violent street attack.

Shocking footage filmed by his crying wife shows the horrific moment Mr Singh appears to be dragged from the car and repeatedly kicked and punched as he lay on the ground.

He was knocked unconscious and left with head trauma and facial fractures before the group fled in a Toyota sedan.

The incident is believed to have started over a carparking dispute at Illuminate, and police have not alleged the incident was racially motivated.

The video has sparked outrage across Adelaide’s Indian community made headlines in major Indian media outlets.

Charanpreet Singh’s injuries were documented by his wife. Picture: Supplied

Charanpreet Singh in hospital after the attack. Picture: Supplied

The next day, SA police arrested a 20-year-old man at an address in Enfield and charged him with assault causing harm over the incident. He was bailed to appear in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on September 10.

Mr Singh said he was stunned to learn the man had been granted bail before he’d even had the chance to be discharged from hospital and make a formal statement to police.

Fearing for their safety, he and his wife have since left Adelaide and flown to Melbourne to stay with his sister — and he doesn’t want to return.

“If they can do it like that in the open, public, they can do anywhere. And now in the news, they mentioned where I live, so it’s more easy to find, you know?”

Shocking footage of the moment Charanpreet Singh was allegedly assaulted at Illuminate. Picture: Supplied

Mr Singh left bloodied and battered in the incident. Picture: Supplied

“I used to love living in Adelaide because I love nature and I have so many good friends here. You know, this was the first bad experience,” he said.

“Yesterday, I was thinking to commit a suicide to be very frank, because I’m traumatised … my wife is too and for some reason now she’s crying, I can’t handle it emotionally.”

Adireddy Yara, president of the SA Telugu Association and past Indian Association president said leaders should swiftly condemn the attack to reassure the local Indian community.

“It was very shocking incident because our international students expect to be safe when they arrive here and the news has already spread wide through Indian media so I think the effect will be huge for where parents chose to send their kids,” he said.

“We already tell young students coming here not to go out in the city after 7–8pm out of fear of things like this. I think after this, people will be thinking twice about leaving their homes at night.”

“I did see that video, it was a brutal attack and I feel sorry for that man and his family.”

Minister for Multicultural Affairs Zoe Bettison said she was “deeply saddened” by the assault.

Originally published as Charanpreet Singh flees Adelaide as Illuminate Festival accused win bail