Kishanganj/Bareilly: A 30-year-old cleric from Bihar died under mysterious circumstances after allegedly being assaulted aboard a train, with his family claiming foul play while police in Uttar Pradesh have termed the incident an accident.
The deceased, identified as Maulana Tausif Raza Mazhari, a resident of Thakurganj block in Kishanganj district, was returning home after attending the Urs-e-Tajusharia event in Bareilly on April 26. He was travelling in a general coach and was expected to reach Kishanganj the same night. However, his body was found the next day, April 27, in bushes along a railway track near Bareilly Junction.
According to the victim’s wife, Tabassum Khatoon, Mazhari made a distress call minutes before his death. “He told me that some people in the train were abusing and assaulting him and that his life was in danger. He asked me to inform the police,” she said. She added that his phone switched off shortly after the call, and the family later received information about his death.
The family has alleged that Mazhari was attacked following a dispute with some unidentified persons near Bareilly Cantt area and was allegedly thrown off the moving train. They claim multiple injury marks on his body suggest assault and have demanded a thorough investigation, calling it a case of murder.
A purported voice recording of the final call has also surfaced, in which Mazhari is heard saying that intoxicated individuals had caught hold of him, were abusing and beating him, and that no one in the coach intervened.
The incident has triggered political reactions, with All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi raising questions over the circumstances of the death. He urged Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw to ensure strict action against those responsible and called for a fair probe. The party’s Bihar unit president Akhtarul Iman described the incident as a “murder” and questioned the safety of minorities, demanding a high-level inquiry.
AIMIM spokesperson Adil Hasan also condemned the incident and sought compensation for the victim’s family along with a government job for one of its members. He called for accountability and a comprehensive investigation into the matter.
However, Bareilly Police have rejected claims of assault and termed the incident accidental. According to officials, preliminary investigation has found no evidence of a fight, conspiracy, or physical attack. Police stated that due to extreme heat, Mazhari may have been sitting near the train door, and possibly fell after dozing off, leading to fatal injuries to his head, legs, waist, and face.
Police further clarified that allegations of mob assault or being pushed from the train have not been substantiated so far. The investigation is ongoing.
