Muslim couple on train beaten in MP, bags searched over beef suspicion
NB- The Sangh Lafang in action. They behave as if the country belongs to them. Maybe the sangchalaks will let us live under the rule of law, and maybe they won't. DS
A MUSLIM couple was among passengers assaulted by at least
seven members of the Gauraksha Samiti at Khirkiya railway station, in Harda
district of Madhya Pradesh, when they objected to their luggage being searched
on suspicion that they were carrying beef, police said. Police said the right-wing activists claimed to have seized
“beef” from a bag during the “raid” on the general compartment of the
Kushinagar Express on Wednesday before laboratory tests proved it was buffalo
meat.
Police have arrested two members of the Samiti — identified
as Hemant Rajput and Santosh — who claimed they acted on a tip-off about beef
being transported by some passengers. Nine local residents, including at least one relative of the
couple, were also arrested and released on bail after they engaged in a scuffle
with the Samiti members on the platform.
Speaking to The
Indian Express, 43-year-old Mohammed Hussain said he and his 38-year-old
wife Naseema Bano were on way to their hometown in Harda after visiting an
ailing relative in yderabad, when they were assaulted. “They pushed my wife around when she objected to our luggage
being searched. We live in India and know what is wrong and right, we eat only
goat meat. Besides, the black bag from which the meat was seized did not belong
to us. Finally, a constable came to our rescue and saved my wife,” said
Hussain.
He also alleged that he was beaten up by the Samiti members
on the platform after he “abused them when they misbehaved with my wife”. Describing the sequence of events — the couple had stopped
over for a night at another relative’s house in Khandwa — Hussain said he was
standing near the door of the “crowded compartment” while his wife was given a
seat by other passengers, when the activists started their search.
“When some passengers objected to their luggage being turned
upside down, the activists roughed them up before they started searching the
bags kept near Naseema. When she objected, they pushed her towards the toilet.
Then, I called a relative who lives near the station. He rushed over with other
local residents and engaged in a scuffle with the samiti members,” said
Hussain.
“The samiti members threw several bags on to the platform to
inspect their contents before they found the black bag. The owners of that bag
were not found,” he said. When contacted, K Richhariya, Assistant Sub-Inspector
(Khirkiya police station), said the contents of the bag were tested at a local
laboratory which confirmed they were pieces of buffalo meat. Itarsi railway police station in-charge D K Joshi said
Rajput and Santosh were sent to jail and a search launched for at least five
other members of the samiti. The arrested duo has been booked under sections 294 (obscene
language), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 323 (punishment for voluntarily
causing hurt) of the IPC and Section 153 of the Railways Act (endangering
safety of passengers travelling by railway by willful act or omission). Police have also registered a case under Section 429
(mischief by killing or maiming cattle.) of the IPC against two unknown persons
to whom the bag belonged.
Harda MLA Ramkishore Dogne, meanwhile, alleged that the
administration had lodged the complaint against local relatives of Hussain
under pressure from the Bajrang Dal and VHP. “First, they were harassed, then a
complaint lodged against their relatives,’’ the Congress
legislator
alleged.
