Indian-origin businessman's gas station attacked in New Zealand

Melbourne (Australia): A gas station owned by an Indian-origin businessman was attacked by unknown assailants in New Zealand, a media report has said, in yet another instance of violence against small-scale businesses in the country.

The gas station on Kaurilands Road owned by Kanna Sharma in Auckland was ram-raided by robbers in the early hours on Thursday, a police statement said.

Around 2.20 am, the store was rammed through the front door at least three times, shattering the glass and damaging the front grille, news portal Newshub reported.

The thieves stole cigarettes, vapes, and many other products from Sharma's shop, the report said.

Sharma said it's the third such attack on his business, it said.

"It's a nightmare," Sharma told Newshub.

"This is the third time I've been ram-raided and I'm shattered. My family is shattered. It's hard to believe a place like New Zealand can be such a nightmare," he added.

New Zealand has seen an uptick in the cases of violence against small-scale businesses in recent times.

A 34-year-old Indian-origin dairy shop worker, Janak Patel, was murdered in Sandringham in November last year.

In December last year, two dairy stores owned by Indian-origin business persons were also targeted by armed robbers.

Following Patel's murder, the New Zealand government announced measures to combat retail crime, including a fog cannon subsidy scheme, which was opened to all shops and dairies.