In an incident that occurred at Mumbai’s Bandra Terminus railway station in July, a Muslim boy was brutally attacked by a group of men who accused him of being in a relationship with a Hindu girl. The assault, captured on video and widely circulated on social media, has sparked outrage and calls for a thorough investigation.
The videos depict the assailants dragging the young boy outside the railway station and subjecting him to a violent beating. During the attack, the men can be heard shouting slogans such as “Jai Shri Ram” and “love jihad band karo” (stop love jihad), invoking a debunked conspiracy theory that alleges Muslim men manipulate Hindu women into relationships for the purpose of religious conversion.
The girl, who was also present during the assault, can be seen pleading with the attackers to spare the boy from further harm.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Dikshit Gedam confirmed that the incident took place on July 21 but was brought to the attention of authorities only recently. As the incident began at the railway station, the Government Railway Police (GRP) has been notified and tasked with investigating the matter.
While no formal complaint has been registered by the police, Sandip Bhajibhakre, deputy commissioner of the Government Railway Police, stated that the process of registering an offense has been initiated.
Both the boy and the girl involved are reportedly minors and reside in Ambarnath, a town in the Thane district, located approximately 60 kilometers from Bandra Terminus.
According to official sources, the boy was reportedly being pursued under Section 363 (kidnapping) in Ambarnath. The assailants allegedly chased him to Bandra, where the brutal assault occurred. Following the attack, the boy was taken to the Nirmal Nagar police station in Bandra.
As of now, the identities of the attackers remain unknown, and they have not been questioned by authorities. Zeeshan Siddique, local Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) and Mumbai Youth Congress president, has called for a thorough and proper investigation into the incident.
