Tarun Asthana, who was assaulted in downtown Auckland a day before Diwali, has succumbed to his injuries in Auckland Hospital.
The 25-year old trainee teacher was victim of what police described as a random attack near Britomart train station in the wee hours.
A man has been arrested for assault.
According to a NZ police statement, Asthana was outside the train station when he had an exchange of words with another man.
The attacker punched Tarun in the head who fell “heavily”, striking his head on the pavement, Detective Senior Sergeant Peter Florence said.
Tarun’s friends and eyewitnesses said the attack happened after Tarun complimented a girl on her dress.
“She had a go at him because she thought he was hitting on her,” Eddie Lo, who is Tarun’s friend said. “Then her boyfriend runs up and smashes him in the head and runs off. He was just complimenting her and she went psycho.”
It is not confirmed whether the attacker, 27-year old NZ Navy sailor Grenville David McFarland, was known to the girl.
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