By Ghazala Ahmad
A 28-year-old Muslim driver, identified as Azeem, died at Delhi’s Lok Nayak Hospital on August 4, five days after he was allegedly assaulted following a road accident involving a vehicle carrying Kanwar pilgrims in Uttar Pradesh’s Hapur district.
Azeem’s family has alleged that he was beaten by a group of men after his pickup truck collided with an auto carrying Kanwariyas near the Garh toll plaza on July 31.
Police, however, have registered cases based on complaints from both sides, and the circumstances surrounding the assault and Azeem’s subsequent death remain under investigation.
According to Azeem’s father, Intezar Hussain, the accident took place when the pickup being driven by Azeem collided with an auto carrying Kanwariyas. Following the collision, the auto driver and several passengers allegedly attacked Azeem. After assaulting him, the mob left him at the spot of the incident.
Azeem was initially taken to a local hospital for treatment by the police. He was later referred to Meerut and subsequently shifted to the Lok Nayak Hospital in Delhi, where he remained under treatment for around five days before he died on August 4.
In a complaint filed with the police, Azeem’s father alleged that the auto driver and other passengers attacked his son following the collision.
The FIR registered at Garh Mukteshwar police station names auto driver Farman, along with Manish, Ankit, Lokesh and Shivam, all residents of Bajheda Khurd village, along with two unidentified persons.
The case has been registered under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) relating to rioting, voluntarily causing hurt and attempt to murder.
This story was originally published in maktoobmedia.com. Read the full story here.