Indian-origin brutally assaulted in UK

LONDON: A 23-year-old Indian-origin accountant and his friend were brutally assaulted with cricket and baseball bats and tyre irons after ambushing the family outside a popular Indian restaurant in Britain.

Preet Panesar suffered a shattered eye-socket after being bludgeoned by a gang of seven men on the car park of the restaurant in Birmingham.

They were brutally beaten with baseball bats and tyre irons after his terrified family were ambushed outside the restaurant, Birmingham Mail reported today.

Panesar suffered a shattered eye-socket and was left in a crumpled heap after being bludgeoned by a gang of seven men on the car park of Akbar's restaurant in Edgbaston.

His friend, Jagdeep Sira, was also rushed to Edgbaston's Queen Elizabeth Hospital after his kneecaps were smashed by the thugs in the attack.

Panesar's elder brother, 29-year-old Hardep managed to escape, leading his wife Shelly and Jagdeep's sister, Jaspreet, to safety.

Police say officers are currently trawling through CCTV from cameras in the area on Wednesday night as they try to track down the culprits.

Hardep said he had been left in shock by the attack, and called for the public's help in snaring the thugs, described as Asian and aged between 18 and 25.

Hardep, who owns a cleaning company said: "We are normal people who were simply out for a family meal. We do not have an issue with anyone.

"What happened was totally unprovoked. Nothing happened before, nothing happened on the road, we had never seen these people. There was no argument.

"They simply got out of two cars and began hitting and kicking. My wife is now too scared to leave home."

The five victims were getting into their Mercedes after enjoying a meal at the Indian restaurant, which shares TGI Friday's car park, when the thugs struck.

Two vehicles pulled up and the armed gang stormed towards the group.

"Five people came out with cricket bats, baseball bats and tyre irons and began hitting us. It was completely random," he said.

"I thought they were going to kill them both. To their credit, the police were there within seconds. It was horrific. I don't know who did this, or why, but I'm sure I recognised one of them. I'm sure he walked into the restaurant while we were eating and looked at us."

A spokesman for West Midland police confirmed officers responded to a 999 call on Wednesday and immediately began a search for a silver vehicle, believed to be a Mondeo.

"We are currently studying CCTV and interviewing witnesses. We would appeal for anyone with information to contact us on 101," he added.