Warning: contains upsetting images
Parth Upadhyay suffered a gash to his left eye
A man said he was sprayed with water and beaten to the ground in a violent attack in Old Swan. Parth Upadhyay, 30, was about to start the first day of his new part-time job when he said he was assaulted by another man on Crystal Close.
He said the incident occurred near the Old Swan Health Centre at around 2.40pm on Friday, May 2. Mr Upadhyay, a masters degree student at the University of Liverpool, was on his way to work as a cleaner at St Oswald’s Catholic Primary School when he stopped to ask a passer-by for directions.
It was then three youths appeared with water guns, which they used to spray water on Mr Upadhyay and another man, also believed to be Asian.
He said: “Suddenly one of them came in my direction. He said ‘what are you going to do, p***?’ I understood he was targeting me with a racist taunt so I moved, trying to block the water gun, saying don’t do it, I have to go to my job.” Mr Upadhyay said he tried to push the youth with the water gun away, which seemed to enrage the other male.
He said: “He got so angry because of that, maybe thinking how dare this guy. With the butt of the water gun, he hit me so hard I had a complete blackout. I hit the pavement and it left me with a big cut just above my eye. My nose was fractured completely.
“When I regained my sight there was the man I was talking to earlier. He was there and he had tissues and a water bottle and he was trying to help me. He immediately called the police and gave his number to the police and me.”
Mr Upadhyay spoke to police officers at the scene, and was taken to Royal Liverpool Hospital, where doctors glued the gash above his eye. He is still awaiting treatment for his fractured nose.
Parth needed hospital treatment for his injuries
He said: “Right now my eye is completely closed. I can’t see anything. I have breathing difficulty. I was supposed to be starting a new job, but I can’t even do anything right now.”
Mr Upadhyay, who came to the UK from India in January to study his masters, said the experience had left him fearing for his future. He said: “I’m just afraid for my own safety and security. It’s so traumatic.
“I’m an international student; I just came here in January and I’m starting to think I made a big mistake in coming here. I think it’s not safe. I thought I would have a better future, but it’s not what I hoped for.
“I had a good career in India. I could have settled down, but thought if I went abroad I could get a better education and build a better life. My parents didn’t want me to go but knew I wanted to see more life, more of the world. But now I see their point of view.”
He added: “The only thing I want right now is for these people who think racial hate crime is a joke to be found and prosecuted. That is what I am hoping for. I’m hoping for justice. It’s 100% not acceptable and I’m not going to back down on it.
“This is near the end of the semester and I’m supposed to have my exams, but I can’t even see right now. It’s put a significant dent in my life.”
He blacked out after being struck with the butt of a water gun
The Liverpool ECHO contacted Merseyside Police for comment. Anyone with information about a crime can contact police on 101, via X @MerPolCC or on Facebook ‘Merseyside Police Contact Centre’.
You can also contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.