Intolerance is the hallmark of an uncivilised society

Ashraf Ali Sayed Hussain, complainant

A viral video depicting a group of train passengers assaulting a 72-year-old on the suspicion that he was carrying beef prompted the Thane Government Railway Police to register an FIR.

This happened on the Dhule-CST express train when the victim, a resident of Chiliagon, was on his way to Kalyan to meet his daughter. While the police claim the fight started over a seat, the viral video purportedly shows the group asking the target what was in the plastic jars he was carrying. In the clip, when he tells them it is buffalo meat (buff, which is legal) the assailants insist it is beef (cow meat).

The victim said the group started abusing him and some of them thrashed him. A preliminary investigation showed that the argument started over seat-sharing. Let us not take the law into our own hands and start meting out some kind of ‘punishment' of our own. This is totally illegal and criminal. There is a law 'n' order machinery which can be informed but ordinary citizens cannot start meting out some kind of ‘punishment and justice' on their own accord.

We have heard and read about so many accounts of ‘mob lynching' ever since there has been a beef ban. As citizens, we have absolutely no right to beat up people or even intimidate them on ‘suspicions' of beef and we can certainly not go around imposing our own law. This has gone on far too long and it is time the State and Central governments speak out about this problem, warning people of consequences if they resort to teaching others some kind of lesson.

It is also important because even one act of violence which may seem trivial at first is very dangerous. A small spark that can lead to an inferno. It can embolden others and set a pattern.