On a highway in Maharashtra, two Muslim transport workers were seriously injured after a group of armed men allegedly attacked their lorry near Umarkhed on April 24.
According to details, the lorry was carrying apples from Kerala to Madhya Pradesh when it was intercepted by a criminal gang in the Umarkhed police station area, close to the Maharashtra-Madhya Pradesh border.
The victims have been identified as driver Alvin Pais, a resident of Mangaluru, and his assistant Mohammed Nadhaf Nisar Qureshi, who is from Thane. The vehicle is registered in the name of Syed Wajid Ali from Udupi in Karnataka.
Chased and attacked in isolated stretch
As per initial accounts, the attackers chased the vehicle for several kilometres before forcing it to stop in a deserted location. The gang then allegedly launched a brutal assault on the two men using sharp and heavy weapons.
Both victims suffered severe injuries, including deep wounds on their heads, faces and other parts of the body. They were left unconscious on the roadside after the attack.
Locals step in, hospital admission delayed
The lives of the injured workers were reportedly saved due to the timely intervention of local residents and passing travellers, who rushed them for medical help.
However, sources claimed that a nearby hospital in Umarkhed refused to admit the victims, forcing rescuers to shift them nearly 70 kilometres away for treatment. They are currently undergoing treatment at Yashosai Hospital.
Demand for strict action
The incident has sparked anger among transport workers and traders, who have raised concerns over increasing attacks on highways.
They have demanded that police register a case of attempt to murder against those involved and ensure swift arrests.
“Such gangs are unleashing violence on the highways with complete disregard for the law. We strongly protest these planned attacks against transport workers. We demand that authorities register a case of attempted murder against the culprits and take immediate, stringent legal action.”
There have also been calls for compensation and financial assistance for the injured, along with better security measures on highways.
