A 76-year-old man suffered serious head injuries after being attacked by two young men he had asked to stop smoking in an underground railway station, Munich police said Saturday, according to dpa. The victim suffered several fractures to his skull and bleeding to the brain as a result of the incident, which occurred Thursday. Police spokesman Markus Dengler said an attempted murder probe had been launched. The men, both dressed in dark clothing, had followed their victim out of the train and kicked him to the ground. Video footage suggested they were around 25 years old. "We have no clues to their identity as yet, but we assume that there were eyewitnesses," Dengler said. The assailants, thought to be from eastern Europe, stole their victim's bag before fleeing. Police offered a reward for information. They said the victim was conscious and appeared to be improving, although long-term effects of the beating could not be ruled out. Smoking is not allowed on the Munich underground. A near-total ban on smoking in public places, restaurants, bars and public transport has gone into effect state by state across Germany this year. On Friday, three bar owners said they would lodge an appeal against the ban with the Constitutional Court in Karlsruhe. They secured the backing of the German Hotel and Restaurant Association (DEHOGA). Legal experts said they had scant chance of success for their action, which is based on the freedom to run one's business as one sees fit.
