A 22-year-old nurse in Australia saw a routine night at the gym take an unexpected and disturbing turn. Harman Preet Singh was attacked outside the gym in an alleged racist assault, leaving him with a broken nose and deep emotional scars.
The incident occurred on Tuesday night after he finished his workout at Planet Fitness in Corio, Geelong. Speaking to 9 News, Singh claimed he was approached by three men as he was heading out. He said it wasn’t the first time he had noticed them that evening. According to Singh, the same group had been bothering him while he was still inside the gym.
He believes they waited for him outside. A video from the scene shows one of the men shouting at him and calling him an “Indian dog.” Singh said things instantly turned violent. He claimed one of the men suddenly head-butted him. After that, the trio allegedly got into a grey car and drove away, leaving him standing there, injured and bleeding.
Who is Harmanpreet Singh? Indian attacked at Melbourne gym
Twenty-two-year-old Singh works as a nurse in Melbourne. He has been focused on building his career in healthcare, often working long hours while also making time to stay fit. Speaking to 9 News, Singh said the attack was not just physical. He alleged that one of the men used a racial slur and told him to “go back” to where he came from.
Footage shows Singh wearing a black turban and a beard, with blood on his nose and lips. A thin streak of blood can be seen running down his left cheek. In another image, he is crouched down, holding his phone, trying to handle the situation while clearly shaken. He later took himself to the hospital, where he spent the night. Doctors confirmed that he had suffered a broken nose. He will now need to take a week off work to recover.
Rising concern in community
Community leaders say this is not the only such case. In recent times, there have been reports of vandalism, online hate speech and harassment targeting Indians in cities like Melbourne and Sydney. Australia is known as a multicultural country, and many migrants have built successful lives there. Still, incidents like this have left sections of the community anxious and asking for stronger action.
Nurse left with broken nose in 'racist' ambush attack at gym https://t.co/OJEMxv6Zi6 pic.twitter.com/jPiztz2LwW
— New York Post (@nypost) February 18, 2026
Speaking to 9 News, Singh said he feels traumatised by what happened. He shared that this was not the first time he had been targeted because of his race. “I try to keep myself strong, not care about such things, but it hurts,” he said. The attack has also left him feeling unsure about returning to the gym. “I don’t know if I’m going to go back to the gym or if I’m going to change my hours … I’m not going to feel safe after this.”
Authorities in Victoria are reportedly investigating the alleged assault. As of mid-2023, more than 845,800 people of Indian origin were living in Australia.