MALICIOUS and twisted assailants took a photo of a Tweed Heads student so they would have 'something to remember him by' after leaving him bloodied outside Coolangatta police station.

Sachin Surendran, 22, said he fears for his safety after being attacked by two men last Tuesday about 10.30pm.

He was using a pay phone across the road opposite the police station.

After being bashed and robbed, Mr Surendran fled to the station looking for help.

But he was chased down and dragged into the connecting car park where he was bashed with a tree branch, stabbed in the face with his own car key and threatened with his life in an attack that left him with five stitches around his right eye.

“They made me sit down after they first bashed me and took a photo of my face with their mobile phone,” Mr Surendran said.

“One of them said it was so they would have something to remember what I look like so they could kill me if I went to the police.”

The Southern Cross University student said the thought of a commemorative photo of his bashing was a haunting act.

“I am very scared about what they did and said. I can't believe something like this happened outside a police station,” he said.

Mr Surendran surrendered $400 from his wallet, his mobile phone and his ATM card.