Victoria Police circulate videoclip of Indian train passenger electrocuted with comment: this could be a 'way to fix Indian student problem'

Just days after a New Zealand TV anchor's comments on the Delhi Chief Minister sparked off a diplomatic row, top Australian police officers have been caught in a racist e-mail scandal joking about the electrocution of an Indian train passenger and suggesting that it could be "a way to fix the Indian student problem" in Melbourne.

Police officers of the Australian state of Victoria circulated what the press there has called "sickening video footage" showing the death of the man, who was travelling on the roof of a crowded train in India, The Herald Sun reported today. When the train stopped at a station, the man stood up and touched an overhead power cable. Onlookers screamed as he was electrocuted, showed the clip contained in one of the offending e-mails, the newspaper said.

The e-mail containing the video began circulating in the Victoria Police computer system and the racist comments were added.

External Affairs Minister S M Krishna has stepped in and South Block summoned Australian High Commissioner Peter Varghese to tell him that New Delhi viewed the revelations as "shocking" and a "matter of serious concern".

Sources said Krishna took the decision to summon the Australian envoy after consulting Prime Minister Manmohan Singh who was briefed by Indian High Commissioner in Australia Sujata Singh over the telephone.

Said Krishna: "Implication of police officers in such behaviour, specially vis-a vis Indian community in Australia, is shocking and a matter of serious concern...such attitude has no place in any society. We understand investigations are already underway. We sincerely hope that apart from taking action against concerned officials, Australian authorities will also take necessary and effective measures to address concerns about safety of all people of Indian origin in Australia."

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