Wife of Indian attack victim questions suicide version

MELBOURNE - “Why would he burn himself,” asked the wife of an Indian man who was allegedly set on fire in this Australian city as she dismissed suggestions that her husband may have set himself ablaze.

Jaspreet Singh, 29, was reportedly set upon by four men after dropping his wife at their Grice Crescent home at Essendon about 2 a.m. Friday.

He ran from the car while peeling off his clothes. He suffered burns to 15 percent of his body during the incident.

Singh’s wife, Paramjeet Kaur, Monday brushed aside suggestions that he had set himself alight.

“Why would he burn himself, why would he do that?” The Age quoted her as saying.

“I do not know why they are saying that.”

Police want to re-interview Singh, who is in The Alfred hospital, over the alleged attack.

Some of Singh’s clothing had since been recovered but other items remained outstanding, a police spokeswoman was quoted as saying.

The police said Saturday the incident did not appear to be race-related but a police source said that “there are things that don’t add up” in the initial reports.

There have been a string of attacks on Indians in Australia, causing an outcry in India. Two of the vicious attacks proved fatal. While Ranjodh Singh’s body was found Dec 29, another Indian, Nitin Garg, was fatally stabbed in Melbourne Jan 2.