ROME -- The capital’s mayor, Virginia Raggi, paid a visit to Maurizio Di Francescantonio in hospital, who had been badly beaten on the metro for telling people smoking was not allowed, sources said Wednesday.

 Raggi, along with Transport Minister, Linda Meleo, visited Maurizio in Rome’s Umberto I hospital, where he is still in a serious condition, suffering from cranial trauma and a brain haemorrhage. He was transferred to the neurosurgery ward to undergo surgery.

 Maurizio, aged 37 and a resident of Tivoli, travelling on Rome’s metro line B Sunday afternoon, was repeatedly beaten in such a way that could have almost ended his life, after telling a group of youths lighting a cigarette in the carriage that smoking was not allowed inside.

 “You should not smoke in here. Stop trying to cause a nuisance,” Maurizio had said to the youngsters travelling with him in the same carriage. This caused two of them to retaliate immediately with repeated punches and kicks, forcing him to the ground in the presence of all the other passengers.

 Maurizio’s 60-year-old mother was with him and tried to stop the attackers in any way she could to protect her son; however, they also began to beat her too. She is only lightly wounded.

 Once the metro arrived at Piazza Bologna, the attackers ran off quickly and it was the driver who allegedly alerted the police. Mother and son were then taken to hospital by the emergency services.

 Immediately after the attack, the police managed to relocate the youths who had tried to run off, and arrested them for attempted murder. The two who carried out the attack are from Caserta, aged 24 and 26, with a history of theft and dealing. CCTV footage from the metro carriage is being passed on to the relevant authorities.

 nkd