Melbourne, Australia – Saurabh Anand, a 33-year-old man of Indian descent, endured a vicious assault by a group of teenagers wielding a machete in Altona Meadows, Melbourne, on July 19. The attack, which took place outside Central Square Shopping Centre, left Anand with severe injuries, including a nearly severed hand, head trauma, broken arm bones, and a fractured spine.
Anand was walking home around 7:30 p.m. after picking up medication from a pharmacy when five teenagers ambushed him. While speaking on the phone, he noticed movement and was suddenly surrounded. One assailant searched his pockets for valuables, another struck him repeatedly in the head, and a third brandished a machete, holding it to his throat. In a desperate attempt to shield his face, Anand raised his arm, but the machete sliced through his wrist, hand, and bone in three successive strikes. “All I remember is the pain and my hand was … hanging by a thread,” Anand told The Age from his hospital bed. He also sustained slashes to his back and shoulder.
Struggling to survive, Anand, dazed and semi-conscious, called out for help. Passersby assisted him, and he was rushed to Royal Melbourne Hospital, where doctors initially feared his left hand would require amputation. After hours of intensive surgery, surgeons successfully reattached his hand, inserting screws to stabilize his wrist and hand.
Victoria Police arrested several teenagers in connection with the attack. A 14-year-old was remanded in custody until August 15, while two 15-year-olds, charged with intentionally causing serious injury, robbery, and unlawful assault, were released on bail and are scheduled to appear in Children’s Court on August 11. Another 14-year-old is expected to be charged via summons, and authorities are still searching for a fifth suspect.
Anand expressed distress over the bail decisions, stating, “I’m seeking justice. I don’t want anyone else in the community to be going through the same trauma I have.” He remains too afraid to return home, and his partner, deeply traumatized, has been staying with him at the hospital. Anand hopes the incident will spark broader change, emphasizing the need for accountability to prevent such violence, he told The Sydney Morning Herald.
The attack comes amid rising concerns about youth crime and knife-related violence in Victoria. Police reported making 208 arrests per day and noted an increase in edged weapon seizures. In response, the Victorian government has introduced stricter bail laws for repeat youth offenders and plans to enforce a complete ban on machete possession starting September 1.
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