How pan-India manhunt helped nab key suspect in Kerala train fire case

It was a pan-India manhunt that finally led to the arrest of Sharukh Saifi, the prime suspect in the Kerala train fire case.

The Kerala police had sounded a nation-wide alert for clues on Saifi. The police officials of many states took part in the operation and finally, he was tracked down to the Ratnagiri railway station of Maharashtra on the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday.

The agencies were alerted about his exact location, following which he was nabbed. After setting the train on fire, he had jumped off it due to which he had suffered head injuries. He was being treated at a civil hospital in Ratnagiri, but he fled due to the fear of being caught. His location was tracked using his mobile phone. He will be shifted to Kerala for further questioning in the case.

Saifi is currently in the custody of the Railway Protection Force (RPF) and his interrogation is yet to begin. He would be first questioned by the Kerala police, a team of which is set to reach Maharashtra. He would also be questioned by the National Investigation Agency and the RPF officials.

Three persons had died after Saifi is alleged to have set a train in Kerala on fire. The agencies are looking into the terror angle to the attack. The autopsy of the three persons revealed that they had not died of burn injuries. The report said that the three persons sustained injuries and died after they jumped off the train to avoid getting burnt.

A source tells OneIndia prima facie it appears to be an act of terror. He is said to have claimed that he was told to set the train on fire, but the reasons behind it have not been revealed as yet. The source however added that the details of the case are currently sketchy. The agencies are yet to find out what the motive behind the incident was. It is also yet to be seen if he had acted alone or was working at the behest of someone. A personal angle into the entire incident also cannot be ruled out in the case, the source also said.

Three persons, including a two year old child and a woman, were found dead on the tracks on near the Elathur railway station, hours after a man poured petrol on the passengers and set them on fire onboard the Allappuzha-Kannur Executive Express train on Sunday.

The incident took place at 9.45 pm on Sunday when the train reached the Korapuzha railway bridge here after crossing Kozhikode city.