Kerala train fire case accused arrested in Maharashtra's Ratnagiri

In a joint operation, Central Intelligence and Maharashtra ATS nabbed Sharukh Saifi, the absconding accused in Kerala train fire case, from Ratnagiri Railway Station of Maharashtra on Tuesday night.

The suspect, identified as Shahrukh, was caught in Ratnagiri district in Maharashtra, about 1,000 kilometres north of Kerala after a sketch of him was circulated by the Kerala police based on a witness's account.

"A team of Kerala police has also reached Ratnagiri and the accused will be handed over to them soon," said an official of the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to talk to the media.

On Sunday night, an unidentified man set fire to passengers after pouring petrol on them when the train reached Korapuzha bridge near Elathur. Nine people suffered burn injuries and are undergoing treatment at various hospitals.

The bodies of a woman, an infant, and a man, who went missing from the train after the fire, were recovered from the tracks near the Elathur railway station. Police believe they fell off the train or attempted to get down after seeing the fire.

A Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Kerala police was subsequently formed and it had intensified its probe into the incident.

According to police, the incident was probably pre-planned as he was carrying petrol in a bottle in his bag.

Shahrukh's father Yameen claimed his son was at home for the past two months and not gone to Kerala. He works as a carpenter in the district and has studied till class 10th, Yameen added.

Two days after the incident rocked the state, senior officials of various investigating agencies, including the NIA (National Investigation Agency) and the Railway Protection Force (RPF) on Tuesday inspected the coaches of the Alappuzha-Kannur Express train.