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In UK train attack, a hero emerges: How an old man saved a girl from stabbing, suffered gashes
The assault left 10 hospitalized, with nine in critical condition. Two suspects were arrested as counter-terrorism units investigate the incident.
When miscreants attacked a London-bound train in United Kingdom's Cambridgeshire on Saturday, an elderly man shielded a young girl from the armed attackers, a witness has said. Even as he suffered gashes in his neck and head, he prevented the attackers from stabbing the young girl on the LNER Azuma train, that was enroute London from Peterborough, a witness told BBC.
The witness said he heard people shouting “run, run, there's a guy literally stabbing everyone", and initially thought it was a Halloween-related prank.
Minutes later, when people started pushing through the carriage, he was left shaken when his hand was covered in blood that had spilled onto the chair he had been leaning on.
Recalling the horror, he added that although the commotion lasted for 10 to 15 minutes in total, the incident “felt like forever”.
Also read | 9 suffer life-threatening injuries, 2 arrested: What we know about the Huntingdon train stabbing
What had happened?
Miscreants on Saturday evening forced the train to stop at Huntingdon station in Cambridgeshire and started stabbing people.
The attack occurred on the typically busy service between the town of Doncaster, in northern England, and King's Cross station in the capital.
A total of 10 people had to be hospitalized, among which nine were believed to have suffered life-threatening injuries, reported news agency AFP, quoting police officials.
Two suspects were arrested at the station, police said, adding that although their identities and motive are yet to be known, counter-terrorism units were assisting the investigation.
London North Eastern Railway, which operates along the route, urged customers not to travel on Sunday, saying services may be cancelled at short notice.
Knife-related crimes in the UK
According to UK's official government data cited by AFP, knife crimes have increased in England and Wales since 2011.
Nearly 60,000 blades have been either “seized or surrendered” in both regions as part of government efforts to halve knife crime within a decade, the interior ministry said on Wednesday.
Earlier last months, Manchester saw at least two deaths, among which one was attributed to misdirected police firing after a stabbing spree at a synagogue which left several others wounded.
