Two men on Tuesday reportedly hurled abuse at an elderly Muslim man in India who had requested them to vacate a seat for him on a Delhi Metro coach, Hindustan Times reported.

Hurling abuses at the senior citizen, the men told him to "go back to Pakistan", the daily said.

According to a post on Facebook by women's rights activist Kavita Krishnan, when the request was made a second time, the two young men said: “This seat is for Hindustanis not for Pakistanis like you. If you want a seat, go to Pakistan and get it there.”

Krishnan's post on Facebook recounted the incident as witnessed by Santosh Roy, the National Secretary of All India Central Council of Trade Unions, who was also travelling on the Delhi Metro.

Watching the incident unfold, Roy got up from his seat and asked the two young men to apologise for their behaviour.

According to Krishnan's post, the youngsters, instead of apologising, started hurling abuse at Roy and, grabbing him by the collar, told him to "Go to Pakistan" also.

When the metro arrived at its destination, a guard entered the compartment and intervened. The two young men were taken to the police station where a complaint was lodged.

However, the old man did not pursue the case further, forgiving the two young men keeping in mind their age, Krishnan's post read.