UP: Mob attacks Muslim family on train with rods, hurls communal slur

Farrukhabad: A Muslim family was looted and assaulted with rods by a mob, who also hurled communal slur at them on a moving train in Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday.

The family, which also includes a disabled child have been admitted to a hospital in Farukkhabad in western Uttar Pradesh, a report in NDTV read.

Eight family members have been injured, while some are in serious condition.

The police have detained three people for questioning, but arrests are yet to be made, the report added.

The family of 10 were returning from their hometown after attending a wedding.

It is yet unclear as to what provoked the attack. Reports suggest that the mob went violent when attackers tried to snatch a mobile phone from the disabled child and the family retaliated.

There were also reports suggesting that a young man molested a girl of the family and was beaten up, after which he called a mob to "take revenge". NDTV reported that people from his village climbed on board when the train stopped at the next station.

The family, fearing an attack had bolted their compartment after the argument, but the mod forced their way in.

"They kept beating us... they robbed us, took away our jewellery," said a woman of the family at the hospital.

The police could not arrive on time as the emergency helpline number was not working, the family said.

In a similar case of lynching, a youth was stabbed to death and his two brothers were injured by a group of people who also allegedly passed slurs against them in a dispute over a train seat near Ballabhgarh in Haryana.