Disclaimer: This story is based on statements made by the family members.
“Hit with a kebab rod and rolling pin – 27-year-old Singh (first name withheld) has suffered three fractures on his left leg, nasal bone fractures, fractures on his fingers, chest injury, and multiple other injuries. He underwent a three-hour-long orthopaedic surgery,” Singh's family claims.
The family said that the assault allegedly took place on the night of June 29, 2025, at Daaku Kebab’s Henderson branch, where Singh had been working as a kitchen hand. According to his family, Singh had been repeatedly requesting his employer to release ten weeks' worth of unpaid wages — a demand that allegedly led to the attack.
"There was no one else present from the staff at the restaurant at the time to assault," Singh's family claimed.
The Indian Weekender has contacted Daaku Kebab and is awaiting a response. This copy will be updated once a reply is received.
The Indian Weekender reached out to the police about the incident from Daaku Kebab in Henderson.
“Waitematā Police responded to an incident overnight in Henderson involving parties who are known to each other. One man was treated for minor injuries. No complaints have been laid with the Police at this stage,” police said in a statement.
Singh, originally from Abohar, India, arrived in New Zealand in August 2023 on an Accredited Employer Work Visa.
Singh's family, while recalling the incident, claimed that on the night of the incident, he began his shift at 7pm. By 2 am, he was found unconscious on the roadside by cleaners, who promptly contacted his family.
“‘Peeche aa, baat karni hai’ (Come out back, I need to talk to you), the owner said to him around 11pm before the beating began,” his family and friends said.
“He was attacked by the owner and five others. He ran for his life, hid in a bush, and later crawled to the road where he collapsed.”
The family claimed they were informed about the incident around 2.30am by the cleaners who discovered Singh.
"He was then taken to the hospital, and we reached around 3.00 am, and the police arrived as well," Singh's family claimed.
Speaking from Auckland City Hospital, where Singh remains unconscious post-surgery, the family claims that this wasn’t the first time he had been assaulted.
“Three months ago, when he asked for his salary, the owner slapped him,” they claimed. Friends present at the hospital backed the account.
According to the family, Singh was allegedly made to work 17-hour shifts with ongoing delays in salary payments.
“There hasn’t been a pleasant transaction since he arrived at Daaku Kebab,” the family said. “Every time he asked for his pay, they turned violent,” the family added.
His friends and family claimed that his phone, which "contained proof of unpaid wages", was taken by the owner during the assault.
In 2024, the restaurant Daaku Kebab made headlines after multiple Indian migrant workers accused it of imposing “slave-like” working conditions. One of the directors of the restaurant dismissed those claims at the time, calling them “baseless,” in 2024, as reported by New Zealand Herald.
Singh’s family now awaits his recovery and the final medical reports.
“We will make another complaint to the police once Singh regains consciousness,” the family said.
Disclaimer: This story is based on statements made by the family members.