Kerala train burning, an act of terror using unconventional means

The Kerala train arson case was a planned incident and was aimed at creating fear in the minds of the people.

The probe so far has shown that the suspect Sharukh Saifi had carried out the attack with the primary intention of creating panic and spreading terror. His diary entries have proven that he had planned many more attacks on trains across the country. During the course of his interrogation, he had said that he had visited Kerala for the first time, thus giving the indication, that he was acting according to a script prepared by others.

The next challenge for the investigation agencies to find the motive and also learn whether Saifi was acting on his own or not. His source of funding are also very much on the radar of the investigation agencies. Considering the inter-state ramifications, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) will probe the matter soon.

An Intelligence Bureau official tells OneIndia that Saifi was being directed by others to carry out the attack. They had managed to brainwash him into carrying out the attack. Moreover, they had also listed out a number trains for him to attack, the official also said.

Another source said that Saifi may have also got local help to carry out this attack. A contact of his from Kerala, whom he is said to have spoken with three days prior to the incident is also under the radar of the probe agencies. The data from the two mobiles that have been seized is also under analysis, the source added.

Meanwhile the NIA has submitted a report regarding the incident. The NIA said that all angles pointed to a terror link and the incident needs to be probed further. The inter-state ramifications and the funding are key to the probe.

Saifi however used unconventional methods to carry out the attack. Groups such as the Islamic State and Al-Qaeda have advised its followers to use unconventional weapons such as knives, stones, cars, trucks among others to carry out terror strikes. These instructions were given so that the attackers go undetected. In the Nice attack, one had seen the terrorist using a vehicles to mow down people. Similarly in the Kerala case, it could be seen that petrol was used to carry out the attack. Due to this unconventional choice of weapon, Saifi managed to enter the train and achieve his motive, while going undetected.