New Delhi: A 32-year-old Muslim man from Latur, Maharashtra, has alleged that a group of men assaulted him on board the Sainagar Shirdi–Kakinada Port Express near Hafizpet railway station in Hyderabad because of his religious identity.
The survivor, Imran Babu Sayyed, said five men attacked him after noticing his beard and skullcap. He stated that they also assaulted his companion when he tried to intervene. A video circulating on social media shows Imran in tears as he recounts the incident to police officers inside the train.
The incident occurred on February 9 while Imran was travelling to Latur. In the video, he told officers that one of the assailants picked him up and attempted to hit him. He alleged that the group pulled his beard, threw away his skullcap, and beat him repeatedly. He said the assault left him injured and bleeding from the mouth. His friend was also attacked, and his mobile phone was snatched.
Imran linked the violence to an earlier altercation in the coach. He said railway staff were beating a passenger travelling without a ticket in the AC compartment. When he and others tried to intervene, he claimed the attackers turned on him.
“They targeted my cap and beard. This was done because of who we are,” he said.
Imran has stated that he is filing a formal complaint at Hafizpet railway station. The incident has raised concerns about the safety of Muslim passengers and the need for prompt action in cases involving alleged identity-based violence.
