Surgeon stoned in racist attack

Dr Maharaj was on standby at the hospital after the 7/7 bombings

A surgeon who was targeted by a gang of stone-throwing men in Kent has said he believes the racist attack was prompted by the London bombings.

Dr Yashen Maharaj, 28, who is of Indian descent, was attacked in Gillingham as he returned to Medway Maritime Hospital's doctors' residence.

"Two boys broke away from the group, followed me and threw stones, one of which hit my upper back," he said.

"They yelled obscenities at me - any crude thing you could think of."

Shouted insults

Orthopaedic surgeon Dr Maharaj, who was brought up in South Africa, came to the UK last year.

He said the men, who shouted insults including "go back home", carried on throwing stones after he had started to run away.

"I think these two boys had a predisposition towards a certain race group that would not have happened had the London bombings not occurred."

Initially Dr Maharaj did not report the attack at Great Lines, to the police. But then colleagues persuaded him that he should do so.

"Working at the hospital, I know how busy everyone is," he said.

Fear and ignorance

"I couldn't give an accurate description of the boys apart from that they were white, aged between 18 and 25 and scruffy, so I thought why waste police time?

"But people said you should report this for the safety of other people."

He said the attack has made him more cautious about going out alone, especially after finishing work late at night.