In a shocking incident aboard the Dhule Express in Maharashtra, an elderly man named Ashraf Munyar was violently assaulted and verbally abused by fellow passengers over suspicions that he was carrying beef. The disturbing event, which was caught on video, has sparked widespread outrage and condemnation.
The video, which has since gone viral, shows nearly a dozen men surrounding Munyar, aggressively interrogating him about the contents of two large plastic boxes he was carrying. The men, using expletives and derogatory language, questioned him relentlessly: “What are you carrying? Where are you going? Where are you from? Don’t you get goats there? How many people are going to eat it?”
Visibly shaken, Munyar, a resident of Jalgaon district, attempted to explain that he was transporting the meat to his daughter’s house in Malegaon. However, the men, dissatisfied with his response, continued to harass him, recording the entire exchange on their phones. At one point, Munyar mentioned that the boxes contained buffalo meat, to which one of the men responded, “We will know about it once we get it tested.”
The incident occurred during the holy month of Sawan, which is particularly significant for Hindus. Some of the attackers cited this as a reason for their actions, claiming that Munyar’s actions were disrespectful to their religious sentiments.
The Maharashtra Animal Preservation Act of 1976 bans the slaughter of cows, bulls, and bullocks, though buffaloes are not included in this ban. Despite this, the men took it upon themselves to enforce their beliefs through violence.
The video, filled with expletives and shocking behavior, has drawn criticism from various quarters. Leader of Sharad Pawar’s NCP camp, Jitendra Awhad, condemned the assault, criticizing the state’s law and order situation. “This is not Maharashtra. This is not our culture. Where will this stop?” he questioned. Awhad also pointed out that a large majority of Maharashtra’s population is non-vegetarian, and such acts of violence based on mere suspicion are unacceptable.
Following the incident, the Government Railway Police (GRP) has registered a First Information Report (FIR) and is actively searching for the perpetrators. Two suspects, identified as residents of Dhule, have been located, and a police team has been dispatched to apprehend them.
Initially reluctant to lodge a complaint, Munyar was eventually contacted by the GRP after the video gained widespread attention. The railway police have confirmed the incident and assured the public that the attackers will be brought to justice.
Sources By Agencies
