Mumbai: An elderly man was assaulted and abused by fellow passengers on an express train — Dhule Express — near Igatpuri, in Maharashtra’s Nashik district.
His fault?
Those around the frail-looking man suspected that he was carrying beef, Government Railway Police (GRP) said on Saturday.
The GRP has registered an FIR against several passengers and initiated a probe after a video of the incident, which took place earlier this week, surfaced on social media.
The video shows several people surrounding the elderly man and threatening him. They then slap him, turning a deaf ear to his repeated pleas.
Asked about the meat he was carrying, he is heard saying it was goat meat, and not beef.
According to the GRP, the victim, identified as Haji Ashraf Munyar, was a resident of Jalgaon district and was travelling to his daughter’s place in Kalyan.
“We have taken cognisance of the video and identified the victim. Some of the people involved in the attack have also been identified, and a probe is on,” said a GRP official.
The viral video sparked a furore among common people and politicians.
AIMIM MP Imtiaz Jaleel said there was a need to stand up and “counter these forces” as such incidents have become quite common.
“We just can’t be mute spectators. It’s high time we, all secular Indians, should come together to defeat these forces. How so much poison has spread among these men and how could they even think of doing such a thing to somebody who maybe their grandfather’s age,” the Aurangabad MP posted on X.
“Enough of giving memorandums and expressing our anger on social media. If the government and police are turning a blind eye, then we as a community need to stand and counter these forces. It has become a normal trend now and we as Indians our doing nothing,” he stated.
Slamming the shameful incident, NCP (Sharad Pawar camp) leader Jitendra Awhad blamed the law and order situation in Maharashtra.
“Some youngsters beat him up because they thought he was carrying beef. This is not Maharashtra. This is not our culture. Where will this stop,” he questioned.
“80 per cent people in Maharashtra are non-vegetarians, this is our Maharashtra. 95 per cent of the people on the coastal line are non-vegetarians. We respect all religions. We respect Jains too, but what’s this hate of beating people on the basis of suspicion? They would have run away by now too. How are they not ashamed to beat someone, who is as old as your father,” he added.
