Indian Man Killed in Australia for Allegedly Stabbing Train Station Cleaner

A police official fired three shots at Mohamed Rahmathullah Syed Ahmed, two of which hit his chest.

Image used for representational purposes only. 

(Photo: Twitter/Australian Federal Police) 

An Indian national was shot dead by the police in Australia on Tuesday, 28 February, after he allegedly stabbed a cleaner at a Sydney railway station and threatened security officials.

Who is the deceased? The Consulate General of India in Sydney identified the deceased as 32-year-old Mohamed Rahmathullah Syed Ahmed, who hails from Tamil Nadu.

The incident: Ahmed allegedly attacked a cleaner at Sydney's Auburn train station, Sydney Morning Herald reported the police as saying.

Two police officials were confronted by Ahmed when they were leaving the police station. One of them fired three shots - two of which struck Ahmed in the chest. A constable also used a taser on him.

Ahmed was treated at the scene by paramedics and rushed to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

The report also stated that Ahmed had had five previous interactions with the police, all of which were non-criminal in nature.

He had been living in Australia on a bridging visa.

What did the Indian Consulate say? Terming the incident as "extremely disturbing" and "unfortunate," the Indian Consulate in Sydney said, "We have formally taken up the matter with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, New South Wales Office as well as state police authorities."

"We ask for a complete report on the circumstances of the shooting of an Indian national," they added.

(With inputs from Sydney Morning Herald and PTI.)