India: Elderly Muslim Man Assaulted on Train

IQNA – An elderly Muslim man traveling to Kalyan to visit his daughter was allegedly abused and brutally beaten inside a train by a group of individuals.

The incident has sparked outrage, with many calling for strict action against the perpetrators.

The victim, identified as Haji Ashraf Munyar from a village in Jalgaon District, was en route to Kalyan when he was assaulted near Igatpuri, allegedly on accusations of carrying beef.

According to Munyar, he was repeatedly beaten, robbed of 2800 rupees, and had his mobile phone snatched. Speaking on Sunday, he said, "They kept beating me all the way... snatched 2800 rupees in my pocket... snatched my mobile.

"I had to get down at Kalyan station, didn't let me get down... dragged me till the door and threw me on the track," Vartha Bharati quoted him as saying.

His son, Ashfaq, has filed a police complaint at the Igatpuri Railway Police station.

Following the attack, rumors circulated suggesting that the elderly man had committed suicide. However, these claims have been refuted by his family.

Alt News co-founder Mohammed Zubair highlighted the incident on social media, demanding strict action from the authorities. “Haji Ashraf Munyar from a village in Jalgaon District traveling in a train to Kalyan to meet his daughter was abused and badly beaten up by goons in a train near Igatpuri alleging him of carrying beef,” he wrote in one tweet.

“Can we expect a strict action against all these goons seen in both the videos,” he questioned in another post.

The conditions of Muslims in India have been a subject of concern, with reports of discrimination and violence against the community. Muslims, who make up about 15% of India's population, have faced decades of discrimination in employment, education, and access to political power.

Incidents of violence, particularly related to accusations of carrying or consuming beef, have been reported frequently. For instance, in Maharashtra, an elderly Muslim man was recently assaulted on a train over suspicions of carrying beef. Such incidents have drawn widespread criticism and calls for better protection of minority rights in the country.

Source: Agencies