Teenager injured in attack at Newbold tram stop

Syed Mashrur: injuries sustained in the attack

Syed Adnan Mashrur, 19, from Oldham was left batted, bloody and bruised after he was the victim of an alleged racist attack at a Rochdale tram stop.

Syed was left with a swollen jaw, swollen nose, swollen cheeks, cuts to his face and needed stiches to his lip following the attack at Newbold Station on Friday 16 October.

The teenager was travelling home from the University of Bradford, as he does every Friday, and caught the tram at Rochdale Train Station. As the tram pulled into Newbold Station at around 8.30pm, Syed states that a man began shouting at him through the window.

He said: “I was just sat on the tram and then I noticed this man shouting and swearing. He then started pointing at me and I had no idea why. As the tram stopped, he them came up to the door and told me to go outside and fight him.”

Standing his ground, Syed said that he told the man he would not fight him as he had no reason to.

He added: “The next thing I remember is that I was outside and this other man said ‘why are you starting on my boys for?’ I told him that I wasn’t and that I had been on the tram minding my own business.”

Comments made to Syed are believed to have been centring on the fact that he was Asian.

Syed said the group launched an attack on him, punching him in the face until he was knocked unconscious.

“I don’t really remember much after being hit,” said Syed. “It really did come out of the blue and I am lucky that I have no permanent injuries.”

Following the incident Syed was taken to hospital for treatment to his injuries.

Syed is now back to attending lectures at university but wants people to be aware of what happened.

He said: “I wasn’t originally going to tell anyone but people kept saying that people need to know that this is going on. I was later told that a similar incident happened earlier on the same day to another Asian boy and it looks like it was the same people. People need to know what is going on and be on their guard.”

Peter Cushing, TfGM's Metrolink Director, said: "I am appalled by senseless attacks. As in society, our passengers should be free to go about their business without the worry of verbal and physical assault from an intolerant minority. All trams and stops are equipped with CCTV, which has helped to secure arrests and convictions in the past, as well as emergency contact points which enable contact with the control room. We will do everything we can to support the police with this investigation.

"Officers from the Travelsafe Unit continue to patrol the network to deter further offences and offer reassurance to passengers and if anyone has any information about this incident then I'd encourage them to talk to the police as soon as possible."

Greater Manchester Police confirmed that they were called to the tram stop at 8.50pm to reports of a male being attacked by a large group of men. The main offender is described as a white male, 5’8, of medium build and was wearing a black puffer jacket with a hood.

The group were last seen at Newbold Tram stop at around 9pm.

If anyone witnessed the incident, has any information that can help police or saw a large group of men at the station at around 9pm, then they are asked to call police on 101 quoting 2399 16 October.