Hate crime fire: Victim of arson attack Abjan Acharya has since been in a car crash and had his business looted
The victim of an arson attack has been involved in a car crash within less than a day of his business being torched.
In addition, Abjan Acharya says thieves have looted the remains of his wrecked bar-and-restaurant, which was set alight at about 1.50am on Wednesday in what police are treating as a racist hate crime.
It has now emerged that Mr Acharya was involved in a three-car collision on the M2 at about 1pm the same day.
Police said there were no major injuries.
He tells the News Letter that he hurt his back in the collision and visited the A&E at the Mater Hospital last night – but left after waiting hours to be seen. He plans to return and try again tonight.
He said of Wednesday's events: "It was just one of those days."
He added that upon returning during mid-afternoon today to his burnt-out business, The Railway Bar and Steam Dining, on the north-east edge of Newtownabbey, he realised some people had broken in to steal the remaining alcohol.
"That made me sickened really," he said.
However, he also said he is getting calls of support from the community, with "massive amounts of help" being offered.
Meanwhile an online appeal has been set up by Caleb McCready, DUP councillor for the Downshire district of Lisburn.
It aims to generate £10,000, and has raised about £1,700 within the first roughly 18 hours of going live.
Councillor McCready is a nephew of Edwin Poots, and a friend and former classmate of Mr Acharya (they went to Fort Hill Integrated College together in Lisburn) who attended his wedding in Nepal.
He told the News Letter: "He's been one of my best mates for a long, long time, and for this to happen is just despicable. It's just disgusting really.
"Obviously fire insurance and that sort of thing can take some time, so in the short term for him and his family he needs something to sustain himself.
"It's set at a target there of £10,000. It's not very much in the grand scheme of things but hopefully it'll do something…
"It's been absolutely awful for him."
Speaking about the fact the arson attack was followed by a car crash, he said: "You couldn't make it up."
Among the donors listed on the GoFundMe website are DUP MLAs Paul Givan (Lagan Valley) and Jonathan Buckley (Upper Bann) who each gave £100, along with Angela McCready, councillor McCready's mother.
Mr Acharya came to Northern Ireland 17 years ago and today has a UK passport.
He has a wife and three-year-old child in Finaghy, south Belfast, and has a degree in property management and a masters' degree in real estate.
The words 'Muslim out' were spraypainted on his burnt business, even though Mr Acharya is actually a Hindu.
Mr Buckley said: "I was appalled by the attack. I have known Abjan for many years. He deserves our support at this difficult time. He would've been friends with Edwin Poots' family over the years. Always a very decent and friendly guy."
And Mr Givan said: "I would appeal for anyone with information to contact the police and bring to justice those responsible for this hate crime against a family who are very much part of the community in Northern Ireland and enrich our society."