After a video of an elderly man being verbally abused and assaulted by a group of fellow passengers on the Dhule Express traveling to Mumbai CSMT on August 28 went viral, police said two people were arrested in Dhule on Saturday in connection with the incident.
Social media posts said that the 72-year-old Jalgaon resident, Ashraf Ali Sayed Hussain, who was traveling from Jalgaon to Kalyan to meet his daughter, was assaulted on suspicion that he was carrying beef which is banned in the state. However, the Government Railway Police (GRP) has not commented on this allegation and have said that the altercation started after a dispute over seats in the unreserved compartment. The incident is reported to have taken place when the train was near Igatpuri station on the Central Railway.
TW: video of Senior Citizen being harassed inside train
The video shows a group surrounding the elderly man and pointing to a transparent container containing pieces of meat. The video records the group assaulting the man even as he pleads. The elderly man is also heard saying that the container contained goat meat and not beef. There are also allegations that the accused did not allow the senior citizen to alight at Kalyan railway station. At Thane, after the alleged assailants got off the train, the senior citizen made his way to his daughter’s place in Kalyan. Co-passengers recorded the incident and circulated the video on social media, following which the railway police started investigations. The identities of the accused have not yet been disclosed.
According to the police, the preliminary investigation revealed that the accused had visited Mumbai for matters related to police recruitment. However, the exact details will be confirmed after the accused are brought to Mumbai for further investigation.
Police visited Ashraf's daughter's house in Kalyan, where he is currently staying, to record his statement. A team of Thane railway police is travelling to Dhule to bring the accused to Thane. The police are also reviewing CCTV footage and will take appropriate action. Ashraf's son, Ashfaq, has filed a police complaint with the Railway police. However, police have not shared the contents of the complaint.
In response to the viral video, the Railway police posted on X, stating "An incident of a few commuters targeting an elderly person on the Dhule express near Igatpuri has been going viral on social media platforms. Strict action is being taken against the offenders. The person is safe. Please avoid spreading rumours while we take the necessary actions."
The video has led to sharp criticism from members of opposition political parties. A video was shared by AIMIM MP Imtiaz Jaleel, who called out the government and police for turning a blind eye against "these forces".
The railway police registered a case on August 31 under sections 189(2) (unlawful assembly), 191(2) (provocation with intent to cause a riot), 190 (every member of unlawful assembly guilty of an offence committed in the prosecution of a common object), 126(2) (wrongful restraint), 115(2) (voluntarily causing hurt), 324(4)(5) (mischief), 351(2)(3) (criminal intimidation), and 352 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
