Bangalore:
Nine people, most of them allegedly from the BJP's youth wing, the ABVP, have been detained in Karnataka for verbally and physically assaulting migrant labourers who were on a train headed to Bangalore.
On Wednesday night, the alleged youth workers from the BJP barged into a train that had stopped at the Mandya railway station.
The group reportedly dragged out some passengers from the train. Eye witnesses say the ABVP members asked the passengers if they were illegal migrants from Bangladesh. The victims explained that they belonged to states like Odisha and Bihar and they were in search of work in Karnataka. They were then reportedly released. Many other passengers did not intervene to protect or help them.
The attackers reportedly searched the pockets and baggage of the victims, before releasing them.
"We are investigating the matter. We immediately provided protection to passengers and sent them back. If need be, after thorough investigation we will book criminal cases against them," Superintendent of Police, Mandya, Koushalendra Kumar told NDTV.