Melbourne/Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 22 (IANS) An Indian doctor working in a Melbourne hospital was robbed of money and his mobile phone at knife point, his colleague's husband said Monday.

Speaking to IANS from Melbourne, Thiruvallam Bhasi, who edits a students magazine published there, said the incident occurred Friday when Mohammed Javed was walking back from the Box Hill Hospital after attending a late night call.

'He was crossing the Box Hill Park, when he was waylaid by three young suspected Australian nationals, who pulled out a knife and asked for his purse. The doctor gave them (Australian) $300 and his mobile phone and he was left off,' said Bhasi, whose wife works in the same department as Javed.

A case has been registered at the Box Hill police station, he said

Meanwhile, a Melbourne newspaper Monday reported that police expressed concern at the prevalence of 'knife culture' in the city, with 10 people stabbed during the weekend.

'The knife culture that we are currently seeing is of great concern to police,' a police spokesman told The Age.