Kerala train arson: Did a radical Kerala group aid prime accused Saifi

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has taken over the probe into the Kerala train arson case.

A notification was released by the Union Home Ministry handing over the probe to the NIA. The NIA has re-registered the police first information report in a special NIA court in Kochi. The NIA has retained all the offences that were invoked by the police. They include section 16 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, Section 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder) 326A (voluntarily causing grievous hurt by use of acid, etc), 436 (mischief by fire or explosive substance with intent to destroy house, etc) and 438 (causing fire by explosive substance) of the IPC besides Section 151 of the Railway Act (causing damage or destruction to railway property).

The NIA would soon seek custody of Sharukh Saifi, the line accused in the case.

Sources tell OneIndia that Saifi who is highly radicalised had gone to Kerala with a specific intention of committing the crime. He hurled petrol on the people and set the compartment ablaze. Three died after jumping out of the train while trying to save themselves from getting burnt.

The NIA would probe the conspiracy into the incident, the antecedents of the accused and whether Saifi had received support from radical elements in Kerala. The agency would also go broader and check if Saifi was involved with radical elements from other parts of the country.

The Kerala police had detained a municipal councillor and five people. They had been questioned over the logistic support that Saifi got. However their exact roles could not be verified. This makes it clear that the operation was a well executed one and no traces were left whatsoever. Another official said that Saifi could not have undertaken this act without local support. The NIA would look deeper into this with the help of the Kerala police. It is very important to identify and close in on the local help that Safi may have got.

The official also said that going by his diary entries it did not appear that it was a one-off operation. He had listed many more railway stations, the official also said.