Manipuri youth assaulted inside Goa-bound train
Victim gives a blow by blow account
Source: The Sangai Express / Agencies
New Delhi, August 26 2012:
A 24-year old boy from Manipur was beaten up by four miscreants while travelling in a Goa-bound train yesterday.
The incident occurred at around 4 pm near Nizamuddin railway station, New Delhi.
When the train started moving, four youths suddenly barged into the train and began thrashing and smashing the boy, said a press release issued by the North East Support Centre and Helpline.
According to the victim, "The miscreants punched me and broke my spectacle.
They also snatched away my gold chain, money and two mobile phones.
They repeatedly punched me and kicked me on my chest and back inside the moving train.
I was covered with blood and my lips were swollen.
While they were repeatedly thrashing me, I grabbed one of my bags, leaving behind other two bags and ran for my life.
There were many people inside the compartment but no one came to my rescue.
"Soon after I ran away, the four guys were still chasing after me.
There were no security personnel to be seen nearby.
So I ran towards an isolated field, where they could not see me," said the victim to the North East Support Centre & Helpline.
The North East Support Centre & Helpline members visited the victim today at his relative's place in Munirka.
The victim is still traumatized and could barely move as he was severely assaulted.
He did not want to file an FIR saying, "It's not going to help me because I don't believe and trust that the police will recover my belongings and nab the culprits.
"I wonder why there was no security inside the train.
And also why the co-passengers remained mute spectators, they could have done something for the helpless victim," said Dr Alana Golmei, founder member, North East Support Centre & Helpline.
Dr Golmei further said, "Since it is the first incident we heard after so many North East fled from metro cities, it is a matter of negligence on the part of the authority concerned for not taking up preventive measures.
I strongly urge the authority concerned to play a pro-active role in protecting the North East community living in different parts of India.
"Since the attack on the North East people is alarming, the security forces must be more vigilant in every train stations in New Delhi as well as general compartment, where most of the North East people are travelling," Dr Golmei stressed.
The victim is presently working in Goa for the past one and half months.
He hails from Tamenglong district of Manipur.
The North East Support Centre & Helpline will put up the matter to the higher authority for safety of the North East people in
Delhi and NCR.