Boy's death rocks Indian community

CANBERRA: Australia is bracing for another blow to its relationship with India after the apparent abduction and murder of a 3-year-old Punjabi boy in Melbourne on Thursday.

Gurshan Singh Channa vanished shortly after 1pm from the house where his student parents had been living in the northern suburb of Lalor, triggering an intensive search by police in aircraft and cars, and emergency services volunteers.

His body was found about 7pm in long grass near Melbourne Airport, 20km distant. Police said yesterday that an autopsy had failed to determine the cause of death, and forensic examinations were continuing.

Victorian Deputy Police Commissioner Sir Ken Jones said the death was being treated as a homicide.

The tragedy came as Foreign Minister Stephen Smith ended a three-day visit to India, where he met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during a journey undertaken as part of an exhaustive Australian campaign to ease tensions over violence in which one Indian man has been killed and many others beaten.

Smith had been upbeat about the response to his visit, despite continuing scepticism and antagonism from the Indian media.

But Gurshan's death could further inflame anger in India that has previously sparked virulent attacks on Australia in the media, demonstrations, and the burning in effigy of Prime Minister Kevin Rudd.

Victorian Premier John Brumby yesterday urged calm as police devoted "every possible resource" to the investigation into an "unthinkable tragedy".

"There are no visible signs of the cause of death at this stage [and] I think it's very important that people don't jump to conclusions about the death at this time," he said.

"The most important thing is that we find the cause of death and bring those responsible to justice, and I can only repeat from the point of view of the Government and the police force in Victoria, every single resource is being devoted to this effort."

Gurshan's parents, father Harjit Singh and mother Harpreet Kaur Channa, had recently completed studies in Melbourne and had intended to fly back to their home near New Delhi next week.

Housemate Sim Kuar told the Age the family had not been happy in Australia. She said Gurshan's father had left for a nearby library shortly before the boy disappeared. His mother had been in the shower.

Gurshan had been screaming because he had not been allowed to go to the library with his father, and when he stopped Kuar said she thought: "What happened?"

"He was naughty and shouting, but an active boy," she told the Age. "If you told him 'don't do this' or 'don't do that' he would ignore you. Sometimes he came outside and his mother said 'come back', but he refused."

No one knows how Gurshan left the house, although Kuar said the door was easy to unlock.

Gurshan was at first thought to have followed his father to the library, but when it became clear he had disappeared a relative living in the house, Ramen Deep Singh, called police.

The murder has shocked a community traumatised by violence.

Local Darebin councillor Tim Singh Lawrence told ABC radio the killing had been greeted with shock and dismay.

"It is sort or unimaginable, that kind of grief with a 3-year-old taken from you in that manner," he said.

"It's fairly early days but we all know each other and so you know this is something that's going to affect the entire community.

"I've visited more than 100 victims of racial assault in the last year. While people have been happy to debate definitions and statistics they've forgotten there's a very live community, a very connected community, and there's been a lot of hurt and dismay about how these events have been handled."

In New Delhi, Smith told reporters after his meetings with Singh and other senior officials that the federal and Victorian governments were doing all they could to end attacks on Indians.

But speaking before the news of Gurshan's death, he acknowledged that much more needed to be done.

"I think there is a better understanding in the mind of the Australian Government, a better understanding in the mind of the Indian Government, about what has occurred and what steps have been taken," he said.

"I think it is a much longer exercise for the Australian Government and the Australian people to persuade the people of India that this is not a proper or an appropriate reflection of Australia. We have a big task ahead so far as our standing and reputation in India is concerned."