LUCKNOW: Three Muslim clerics travelling to their village in Baghpat district were allegedly beaten up with iron rods and pushed out of a running train by miscreants late on Wednesday night.
Sources said the clerics -- Gulzar, Israr and Haji Abu Bakr -- had boarded the train along with their aides in Delhi and were pushed out near Ahaida railway station in Baghpat.
According to Baghpat SP Jaiprakash Singh, the clerics got into an altercation with the youths. As the train reached Ahaida, they tried to get off and lodge a complaint. But the youths forced the door shut and started abusing them. When they protested, they were allegedly beaten up with iron rods.
In the melee, one of the three clerics was badly injured. As the train began chugging out of the station, the miscreants pushed all three out and themselves jumped off. All three clerics are in a hospital in Baghpat.
While Gulzar is believed to be a Maulvi in a mosque in Baghpat, Israr is his nephew. They were joined by Haji Abu Bakr in Delhi. Police sources in Baghpat did not confirm whether were pushed out of the train.
The clerics’ kin have lodged a complaint against six unidentified miscreants with the district police. But since the issue comes under the jurisdiction of the Government Railway Police, the district police claim to have a limited role.
SP Jaiprakash Singh said that all three clerics were taken to the district hospital and their medical tests done. “A case has been lodged against seven unidentified persons at Kotwali police station A probe into the incident is on,” he claimed.
Baghpat Kotwali in-charge B Kumar said the case was being transferred to the railway police.