Two injured in separate stabbing attacks in Australia's Melbourne

Sydney, July 21 (IANS) Two men have been hospitalised with serious injuries after being stabbed in separate incidents within 24 hours at shopping centres in Melbourne, Australia.

Emergency services were called to a shopping centre in the suburb of Broadmeadows, 15 km north of central Melbourne, after one of the victims was found with stab wounds around 6:30 pm on Sunday.

Police have not confirmed his identity, but News Corp Australia newspapers reported that the victim was a 17-year-old boy.

He was treated at the scene before being taken to the hospital in a critical condition.

A crime scene has been established, and an investigation into the attack is ongoing.

In a separate incident on Saturday night, a 33-year-old man was attacked by a group of people at a shopping centre in Altona Meadows in Melbourne's west, Xinhua news agency reported.

A police spokesperson told News Corp that the man was approached by a group of males and pushed to the ground before being struck on the arm with an edged weapon, believed to be a machete.

The man was taken to the hospital, where the lower part of his arm was amputated on Sunday.

As of Monday, no arrests had been made in relation to either attack.

In a similar incident on July 15, another man was hospitalised following a stabbing attack outside a shopping centre in Melbourne.

Police in the state of Victoria said that two male pedestrians were seen arguing outside the shopping centre in Moonee Ponds, 7 km northwest of central Melbourne, before one man stabbed the other with a knife.

The victim, a 44-year-old man, suffered neck and chest injuries and was taken to the hospital for treatment.

The alleged attacker, a 55-year-old, was restrained by members of the public until police arrived. He was taken into custody and was charged with recklessly causing injury, intentionally causing injury and assault with a weapon.

--IANS

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