A man in his 20s was assaulted by another man with a pole at the Donegall Road junction with Sandy Row in south Belfast.
It happened around 12:30am on Saturday.
Detective Constable Beattie said the man was beaten with a pole before the suspect made off on foot in the direction of Stroud Street in Sandy Row.
The victim, aged in his twenties, required hospital treatment for serious injuries.
The suspect is described as being approximately 6ft tall and of average build. He was described as wearing a dark-coloured, hooded tracksuit.
“Our enquiries are ongoing and we would ask anyone who was in the area and saw anything, or who may have dashcam or other footage to contact us on 101 quoting reference 55 of 26/09/21,” added Detective Constable Beattie.
Alternatively, you can submit a report online using the non-emergency reporting form via http://www.psni.police.uk/makeareport/.
You can also contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at http://crimestoppers-uk.org/.