Why do terror groups target trains? NIA, Kerala cops dig deeper into it

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is looking at the train arson attack in Kerala as the security agencies are not ruling out a terror angle in the case.

Prima facie, we are not ruling out a terror angle to the incident, sources tell OneIndia.

While it is yet to be confirmed if the Kerala incident was an act of terror, trains being targeted by terror groups is nothing new.

One of the biggest attacks on trains was in Mumbai in the year 2006. The Intelligence Bureau while studying the pattern of such attacks said that targeting trains gains terror groups a huge amount of traction. It creates a lot of panic as it the common man's mode of commute. It can also bring life to a standstill and create huge economic loss, the Intelligence Bureau report had also said.

Three train passengers were killed while several others suffered burn injuries after a suspect hurled two bottles of inflammable liquid to set them ablaze on the Alappuzha-Kannur Express.

The police have now set up an 18 member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the incident.

The manner in which the accused, Shahrookh Saifi went about the act suggests that there may have been a larger plot involved.

The agencies are not looking it as an isolated incidents. The naxalite and terror angle are both on the radar of the investigation agencies. Kerala DGP Anil Kant said that they are examining the CCTV footage.

The accused had entered the train with a book with some jottings in English and Hindi. This suggests that he was acting on a script. He also had with a mobile phone but its SIM slot was empty.

Hours after the incident the police found the bodies of Rahmath, Sahara and Noufeek. It didn't appear that the suspect was trying to target them directly, the police have learnt. All three of them did not die of burn injuries, but were grievously injured after they jumped off the train, the autopsies conducted at the Kozhikode Government Medial College confirmed. Eight others however sustained burn injuries and they are being treated at a hospital. Four of them remain in intensive care.

The NIA on the other hand is examining the material on hand and is yet to take up the probe. The source cited above said that the NIA is looking into the incident to find out if there is any naxal or terror angle to it.

DGP Kant said that looking into the terror angle is part of the investigation and we cannot rule out anything at this stage.

The CCTV footage shows the accused talking to a man on the phone. He is also seen being picked up someone on a bike. It looks like a well-planned operation and the accused had even planned his escape route, the source said while adding that he could have carried out this incident with an intention of creating terror.