RPF says it is taking action after violent protest in Shamli

A day after protesters clashed with police in neighbouring Shamli district, railway police today said that they have booked five persons for the alleged attack on members of a religious group on a train which had led to tension and efforts were on to nab them.

A protest by members of the Tablighi Jamaat against the alleged incident in which five members of their community were assaulted on Friday by some youths on board a Delhi-Kandhla train had turned violent yesterday. The mob laid a siege to a police station, pelted stones and set afire vehicles. 16 policemen were injured in the violence.

Deputy Superintendent of Railway Police Pritibala Gupta today told reporters that a case was registered and efforts were on to nab the accused in the train assault case.One of the victims Farok Ali has lodged a complaint with the railway police alleging that five miscreants had beaten up passengers, misbehaved with them and robbed their belongings on board the train.

Following the violence, security had been tightened and extra police force deployed in the town.

To disperse the violent protesters, police had fired teargas shells and also resorted to a baton charge, in which in one person was injured, police said.

Muzaffarnagar and surrounding districts including Shamli in western Uttar Pradesh were rocked by communal riots in September 2013 which had left over 60 people dead and displaced thousands of others.