A 30-year-old cleric from Bihar was found dead on railway tracks near Palpur Fatak in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, on 27 April 2026. The deceased, identified as Maulana Tauseef Raza from Kishanganj district, was an imam at a mosque in Siwan. Initial police reports suggested he may have accidentally fallen from a moving train while travelling from Bareilly to Siwan.
As reported by The Indian Express, the family of the deceased later claimed to possess an audio recording in which Raza is allegedly heard stating he was being harassed inside the train. The family suspects he was assaulted and then thrown from the train, contradicting the initial police assessment of accidental death.
Police stated that when the body was handed over to the family after the post-mortem, there was no suspicion of foul play raised at that time. However, further developments prompted authorities to reopen the investigation as new allegations and evidence surfaced.
According to details provided, Raza’s uncle, Rizwan Alam, alleged that the cleric was assaulted inside the train and subsequently thrown off. The family cited a 36-second audio recording and a 2.63-minute video call as evidence, in which Raza reportedly told his wife, Tabassum, that he was being harassed by other passengers and accused of theft.
“We suspect he was assaulted inside the train and then thrown from it,” said Rizwan Alam, the deceased’s uncle, as cited in the source.
Police officials confirmed that the post-mortem examination revealed a lacerated wound on Raza’s head, which was initially believed to have been caused by striking a pole after falling. However, investigators are now reviewing the sequence of events in light of the family’s allegations and the newly discovered recordings.
On the evening of 26 April, Raza boarded the Muzaffarpur Special Fare Summer Special train from Bareilly for Siwan after attending an Urs festival in the city. During a phone call with his wife, he reportedly mentioned being harassed by a young man on the train. Coverage revealed that his wife urged him to seek help from fellow passengers, but he stated that he was being accused of theft and was unable to identify the person harassing him during a video call.
Police said that documents recovered from Raza’s belongings, including an Aadhaar card, helped establish his identity and contact his family. At the time of the body’s recovery, the family did not immediately inform police about the harassment, citing shock and distress. The family later discovered the recordings on Raza’s phone after returning to Bihar.
“We are in contact with the deceased’s family and will take appropriate action in the matter soon,” stated Superintendent of Police, Bareilly, Manush Pareek, according to the source.
Police have indicated that the case is being probed afresh, and the family is expected to lodge a formal complaint. Further investigation will focus on the circumstances leading to Raza’s death, the authenticity of the audio and video evidence, and any possible involvement of other passengers.
Note: This article is produced using AI-assisted tools and is based on publicly available information. It has been reviewed by The Quint's editorial team before publishing.