E-Paper
Kerala train fire suspect hospitalised
State director general of police Anil Kant said it is not possible to arrive at a terror link without interrogating him in detail and police will decide whether to slap the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) or not only after the interrogation
The Delhi native accused of triggering a fire onboard a train in Kerala which led to the death of three, including a child, was brought to Kozhikode in north Kerala from Ratnagiri in Maharashtra on Thursday. He has been admitted in a hospital and undergoing treatment, said state director general of police Anil Kant.
He said it is not possible to arrive at a terror link without interrogating him in detail and police will decide whether to slap the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) or not only after the interrogation. “We will start questioning him once we get medical clearance. It is still unclear if more people were involved in the crime. Motive, modus operandi, possible local support and how he escaped we will inquire all angles,” Kant said.
The 27-year-old accused Shahrukh Saifi also sustained burn injuries while spraying petrol at the co-passengers on Sunday. He later told the police that he also fell from a train in Ratnagiri in an attempt to dodge checking officials.
Doctors at the medical college hospital in Kozhikode said some of his wounds were serious and one of his eyes suffered serious damage due to fire. Later he was also detected with jaundice and admitted to the police cell of the hospital. He is likely to be produced in a court on Friday after medical clearance.
During initial interrogation by Maharashtra ATS and Kerala officials who later took him into custody he reportedly told them that it was his first trip to Kerala and he carried out the crime on his own. But the special investigation team said he was trying to shield those plotted the attack and the locals who arranged his logistics.
“We suspect he was radicalised and sent to Kerala on a terror mission. We even suspect it was a suicide mission but flopped after alert passengers reacted responsibly. And it is difficult to believe it was his first trip to Kerala. He must have got some local support and training also,” said another senior official on terms of anonymity.
Saifi was allegedly shifted to different vehicles on the way to Kozhikode. A senior official (do we know the name or designation?) said vehicles were changed frequently to avoid media attention as he has to appear for an identification parade later.
Meanwhile the railway police also started investigation on how he travelled on the same train to Kannur, its last stop, after the fire incident. He reportedly told officials he travelled on the same train (Alapuzha-Kannur Express) after hiding his face and wearing a mask and alighted at Kannur and hid behind the platform. He also told them that he later took Erankulam- Ajmer Marusagar Express from Kannur and travelled in general compartment without ticket to Ratnagiri. (source of info??)
