Oz killing: Badal seeks PM's intervention

Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Monday sought immediate intervention of the Prime Minister to ensure safety of Indian students in Australia in the wake of the killing of a youth, hailing from the state, in Melbourne two days ago.

Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Monday sought immediate intervention of the Prime Minister to ensure safety of Indian students in Australia in the wake of the killing of a youth, hailing from the state, in Melbourne two days ago.

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In a statement here, Badal urged Manmohan Singh to take steps to ensure safety and security of Punjabi youths who had gone to Australia to pursue higher studies.

Twentyone-year-old Nitin Garg, who migrated from Punjab and had permanent residency in Australia, was stabbed to death in Melbourne's northern suburb of West Footscray on January two.

The Chief Minister urged the Prime Minister to direct the External Affairs Ministry to take up the matter with the Australian government to effectively curb such incidents of brutal violence.

"It is the constitutional and diplomatic obligation of every nation and government to ensure safety of foreign guests on its land as vengeance and hatred have no place in society," the statement said.