Indian-Origin Man Dies After Alleged Police Restraint In Australia, Drawing Comparisons To George Floyd Case

An Indian-origin man has died following an encounter with police in Adelaide, Australia, where an officer allegedly knelt on his neck during an attempted arrest, an incident now drawing comparisons to the 2020 killing of George Floyd in the United States.

Gaurav Kundi, 42, a resident of Modbury North, was taken to the Royal Adelaide Hospital with a critical brain injury on May 29. He died on Thursday after spending days on life support.

According to reports, the incident began when Kundi and his wife, Amritpal Kaur, were arguing in public. Kundi, reportedly intoxicated, lay down on the ground during the dispute. Kaur later said he had only “slightly pushed” her. A police patrol, believing the situation to be a case of domestic violence, intervened.

Kaur filmed part of the arrest on her phone. In the video, obtained by 9News, Kundi can be heard saying, “I didn’t do anything wrong,” as officers restrain him. Kaur claims she stopped recording after witnessing an officer kneel on her husband’s neck. “There’s only 19 seconds of video because I panicked,” Kaur told 9News. “I just sat on the ground with Gaurav. I kept saying, ‘He’s not well, please don’t do this, just call the ambulance.’”

South Australia Police stated that Kundi became unresponsive during the arrest and was rushed to hospital, where he later died. Authorities stated that no taser or firearm was used, and that Kundi “violently resisted” arrest. South Australia Police have launched an internal investigation. Police Commissioner Grant Stevens also announced a broader review of police procedures, training, and protocols in response to the incident.

Commissioner Stevens told ABC Radio Adelaide that a formal inquiry will assess whether current policing standards were followed, adding that transparency and accountability are essential. Kaur, however, insists her husband was not violent, just drunk and loud. She has called for justice and a full investigation into the circumstances that led to his death.

The case has sparked outrage and renewed conversations about police use of force, particularly involving individuals from minority backgrounds. Several media outlets have likened Kundi’s death to the killing of George Floyd in the U.S., which triggered a global reckoning over systemic racism and police brutality.