Manmeet Alisher's family fear Brisbane bus killing was racially motivated
Updated
The Indian brother of the bus driver burnt to death in Brisbane says his family suspects the killing was racially motivated, despite police yesterday stating there was no apparent motive for the attack.
Key points:
- Family says "there are a lot of questions" but told no evidence attack was racially motivated
- Mr Alisher remembered as a generous, community-oriented man
- Family urges calm in Australian Punjabi community
Twenty-nine-year-old Manmeet Alisher was killed when a man set him alight in front of passengers in suburban Brisbane on Friday morning.
Upon hearing the news, his brother Amit Alisher drove through the night so he could board a plane for Australia and eventually bring his late brother home.
He told the ABC that while the family accepted there was no evidence it was a hate crime, they feared the worst.
"We suspect that it may be [racially motivated]," he said.
"We would like to see due process, we have faith in the Australian system."
Manmeet Alisher said he did not know what to say when he heard of his brother's death.
"I have no words. I cannot express anything," he said.
"He was a very good guy, a very social person, and a very helpful person.
"If he learnt that someone from our village was coming to Australia, he would meet them at the airport, show them around."
Anthony Mark Edward O'Donohue, 48, appeared briefly in the Brisbane Magistrates Court this morning charged with murder, arson and 11 counts of attempted murder in relation to the attack.
Outside court, O'Donohue's lawyer Adam Magill said his client was "numb".
"His major concern as far as I'm concerned at this point in time is his mental health, that needs to be assessed," he said.
O'Donohue was remanded in custody.
Calls for calm while investigation underway
Police yesterday said there had been "no apparent motive" for the attack.
A close friend of Mr Alisher's family, Winnerjit Singh, said they would keenly await news of the police investigation.
"On the internet, we read that this senseless, needless [attack] is not racism, this is not a terrorist attack," Mr Singh said.
"But the issue is ... why target Manmeet only? Right now there are a lot of questions in our mind."
Mr Singh said the family were shocked and saddened by the brutal killing.
"It's unbelievable, it's shocking, it's unbelievable," he said.
Mr Singh said Mr Alisher was a generous and kind-hearted man, who was committed to his community at home and in Australia.
"When guys from Punjab — students — went over there, he always supported them," he said.
"He had a lot of dreams. Whenever I spoke to him, he said: 'Brother, I am going to be a leader in Australia'.
"He's a very good singer, he's a very good brother, he's a very good son."
Hundreds of people gathered for a vigil on Friday night at the scene of the attack in Brisbane, where they placed flowers, lit candles and chanted.
Last night, Australia's High Commission in New Delhi was helping to arrange Mr Singh an emergency visa, so he and Mr Alisher's brother could travel to Australia together to repatriate his body.
Mr Singh called on Australia's Punjabi community not to jump to any conclusions about Mr Alisher's death, and also urged the Australian Government to ensure it was doing everything possible to protect the community.
"Please, be peaceful, be peaceful Australia," he said.
"I am appealing to your Australian Government, please, always be careful about our community."
Topics: crime, law-crime-and-justice, emergency-incidents, india, moorooka-4105, qld, australia
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