An alleged assault against an Indian child in Waterford City has received widespread media attention both at home and abroad.

Six-year-old Nia Naveen was allegedly attacked by a group of boys aged 12 to 14 while playing outside her home in Kilbarry on Monday last.

She was allegedly punched in the face, hit with a bicycle, and had racial slurs directed towards her.

In a statement to WLR, An Garda Siochana said: “Gardaí responded to a report of an alleged assault in the Kilbarry area of Waterford city on the evening of Monday, 4th August 2025. Investigations are ongoing. No further details are available at this time.”

Media attention

The alleged incident has attracted media coverage across Ireland and also in India, with various media outlets reporting the story.

It follows a number of incidents involving assaults on members of the Indian community in Ireland recently.

In an additional statement to WLR, An Garda Siochana said: “Without commenting on any specific incident, the Garda National Diversity Unit is actively engaged with the Federation of Indian Communities in Ireland (FICI) – the umbrella group for several Indian community groups across the country – to address present concerns. We would like to reassure those of an ethnic or minority background that we are here to keep you safe.”

The statement added: “We would encourage anyone who has been a victim of crime to report it to An Garda Síochána for investigation,  or in an emergency call 999/112. As in previous years, we look forward to attending next weekend’s annual ‘India Day’ celebrations held by FICI and the Ireland India Council. We expect that both events will be opportunities for us to provide any help and reassurance in light of recent concerns.” 

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