A 15-year-old Junaid Khan on his way home in a train destined for Mathura, with his elder brother Hashim and two friends was stabbed to death by “a group of 10-12 men between 7-8 pm”. Little did he know what the future held for him when he left home in Ballabhgarh on Thursday morning to buy kurta-pyjama, a pair of shoes and some khushboo for Eid. Hashim and Shaqir, Junaid’s brothers also sustained stab wounds.
In a report by Indian Express, the 23-year-old Shaqir, who is admitted to the AIIMS Trauma Centre, New Delhi alleged that the accused were taunting Junaid and others over their clothes and also made reference to “beef eating.”
Shaqir recollected the memories of the event and told Indian Express, “They flung our skull caps, pulled my brother’s beard, slapped us, and taunted us about eating cow meat. Beef is not even cooked in our village. Once we reached Ballabhgarh, they took out knives. They were older than us — probably in their 30s — so we couldn’t do anything.” He added that the then started stabbing Junaid, Hashim and him.
Shaqir suffered five stab wound including one on his chest. His elder brother Ismail is with him in the hospital while the family including is at home.
Ismail said,”Hashim told me the men threw them off the train at Asaoti station. Some people there called an ambulance and they were then taken to a hospital in Palwal.”
The FIR is filed at Government Railway Police Station, Faridabad under IPC sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 324 (voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means), 302 (murder), and 34 (common intention), Superintendent of Police Kamaldeep Goyal told Indian Express. He added that one accused has been arrested so far.
The FIR mentions the two groups fighting over seats. According to the Indian Express, Shaqir said, “They noticed we are Muslims because of our clothing and began taunting us. It would go on for a bit, then stop, then start again.” He added, “First they slapped us, then abused us, and then between Ballabhgarh and Asaoti stations, they stabbed us.”
You may also like to watch:
The last memory that Shaqir has of Junaid is of him being stabbed.
He said,”He used to study Urdu at the madrasa in our village, and just a day earlier, he read the Quran at home. He was a healthy kid but he never fought with anyone. I told the mob that these are children… and that if we don’t say anything about their religion, they shouldn’t say anything about ours.”
