Adelaide, June 16: A 42-year-old Indian-origin man died in Adelaide days after an Australian police officer allegedly knelt on his neck during an attempted arrest, sparking comparisons to the 2020 George Floyd case in the United States, local media reported.
Gaurav Kundi, a resident of Modbury North, died on June 12 after suffering what doctors described as an “unrecoverable” brain injury, 7News Australia reported. He had been hospitalised following a police encounter on Payneham Road at Royston Park, during which he became unresponsive.
Police said they intervened after witnessing an altercation between Kundi and a woman, later identified as his wife, Amritpal Kaur. Officers alleged that Kundi was intoxicated and violently resisted arrest. However, Kaur said her husband had been loud but non-violent, and the couple had simply been arguing.
Footage from the scene showed Kundi on the ground shouting, “I’ve done nothing wrong,” while his wife filmed the incident and pleaded with officers to stop. Shortly after, Kundi’s condition deteriorated and he was transported to a nearby hospital.
“No firearm was discharged and no Taser was used during the incident,” South Australian Police said in a statement.
South Australian Police Commissioner Grant Stevens told ABC Radio Adelaide that the department’s internal investigation section would review the incident. The probe will examine police protocols, training, and procedures used during the arrest.
The case has drawn media attention and comparisons to the death of George Floyd, a Black man who was killed by a Minneapolis police officer in 2020 after the officer knelt on his neck for over nine minutes. Floyd’s death sparked global protests against police brutality.
As of Monday, no charges have been filed in connection with Kundi’s death, and the investigation remains ongoing.
