Thiruvananthapuram: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday took over the probe into the Kerala train fire incident that killed three people dead earlier this month after the Union home ministry issued a notification, said a senior official familiar with the matter.
The official said the agency’s Kochi unit will investigate the case and take the case files from the special investigation team (SIT) of the Kerala police.
The NIA move comes two days after the Kerala Police invoked the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) against a 27-year-old Delhi resident, Shahrukh Saifi.
SIT said Shahrukh Saifi, who was working as a carpenter with his father in Shaheen Bagh in Delhi, was highly radicalised and speeches of controversial preacher Zakir Naik and others were recovered from his phone. But the team acknowledged that it was unclear about Shahrukh’s motives or links with other suspects.
“It is a fact the SIT could not take the case further… He was in police custody for over two weeks and yet the motive and conspiracy angle has not been established,” said George Joseph, who retired in the rank of superintendent of police.
Joseph said usually such terror cases are investigated by central agencies. “We have no idea how it (incident) happened. It is true that state police have limitations and central agencies have more reach and powers. We hope the NIA probe will take the case to its logical end,” he said adding many questions remain unanswered in the case.
{{/usCountry}}Joseph said usually such terror cases are investigated by central agencies. “We have no idea how it (incident) happened. It is true that state police have limitations and central agencies have more reach and powers. We hope the NIA probe will take the case to its logical end,” he said adding many questions remain unanswered in the case.
{{/usCountry}}On April 2, accused Shahrukh Saifi allegedly sprinkled petrol and set co-passengers of a train compartment on fire after the Alappuzha-Kannur Inter-City Express train left Kozhikode station around 9.30pm. In the commotion, some passengers jumped from the running train; three people, including a child, died when they jumped out. Nine others, including Saifi, sustained burn injuries.
Saifi was caught on April 5 in Maharashtra’s Ratnagiri district by the state’s anti-terror squad, following inputs from Kerala Police and central intelligence agencies and later brought to Kerala.
His police custody will end on Wednesday after which he will be sent to Thrissur central jail, said police. His bail application is expected to come up for hearing on April 20 at the district court in Kozhikode.