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Dadri Redux: Cow Protection Vigilantes Beat Up Muslim Couple On Train In Madhya Pradesh

Dadri Redux: Cow Protection Vigilantes Beat Up Muslim Couple On Train In Madhya Pradesh
NEW DELHI, INDIA - OCTOBER 3: Members of Khudai Khidmatgar protest against the killing of Mohammed Akhlaq, resident of Dadri, in front of Rajghat, on October 3, 2015 in New Delhi, India. Akhlaq was killed by a mob on the night of September 28 following rumours that he and his family had consumed beef at Bisada village. (Photo by Virendra Singh Gosain/Hindustan Times via Getty Images)
Hindustan Times via Getty Images
NEW DELHI, INDIA - OCTOBER 3: Members of Khudai Khidmatgar protest against the killing of Mohammed Akhlaq, resident of Dadri, in front of Rajghat, on October 3, 2015 in New Delhi, India. Akhlaq was killed by a mob on the night of September 28 following rumours that he and his family had consumed beef at Bisada village. (Photo by Virendra Singh Gosain/Hindustan Times via Getty Images)

Bringing back horrific memories of the Dadri lynching incident, a group of 'cow protection' vigilantes beat up a Muslim couple on a train in Madhya Pradesh on the suspicion that they were carrying beef. According to a report on The Indian Express, seven members of the Gauraksha Samiti assaulted the couple at Khirkiya railway station, in Harda district of Madhya Pradesh.

At first, the 'activists' demanded to check the couple's luggage accusing them of carrying cow meat. When 38-year-old Naseema Bano protested they started abusing her and pushing her around. That is when 43-year-old Mohammad Hussain stepped in. He alleges that the Samiti's men also beat him up.

Hussain told IE, "“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."

Hussain remembers standing near the gate of the compartment when the Samiti members started searching people's bags. His wife was sitting inside. They were a relative in Khandwa and were returning to their hometown Harda on the train.

"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,” he said.

A packet of meat was also seized - which Hussain denies was a part of their luggage - but it was found to be buffalo meat.

Two members of the Samiti were arrested. ABP News reports: "Rajput and Santosh were sent to jail and a search launched for at least five other members of the samiti. Both have 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)."

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This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost India, which closed in 2020. Some features are no longer enabled. If you have questions or concerns about this article, please contact indiasupport@huffpost.com.