Australian charged in attack on Indian restaurateur

Police in Australia charged a man Wednesday in connection with a vicious gang attack on the owner of an Indian restaurant earlier this month.

The 19-year-old man handed himself in to the police in connection with the attack on Himanshu Goyal, 22, while he was closing his restaurant in Bridge Mall at Ballarat in the Australian state of Victoria June 7, according to media reports.

The eight perpetrators, all believed to be in their late teens, punched Goyal in his face leaving him with multiple fractures to his jaw.

The attackers also hurled racial abuses at the victim.

The 19-year-old man has been charged with recklessly causing serious injury, assault and using insulting words in a public place.

He has been released on bail and will appear in Ballarat Magistrates' Court July 29.

Ballarat mayor John Hurt had expressed disgust at the incident and had vowed to hunt down the perpetrators of the attack.