Kerala train fire case: Court sends accused to 11 days of police custody

Representative image. Pic/Istock

The First Class Judicial Magistrate, Kozhikode on Friday sent Shahrukh Saifi, accused in the Kerala train attack case, to 11 days of police custody.

Earlier today, the Court sent him to 14 days of judicial custody.

Saifi, accused of sprinkling an inflammable liquid on a co-passenger on the Alappuzha Kannur Executive Express on the night of April 2 was apprehended on Wednesday from Ratnagiri by the Maharashtra ATS with the help of National Investigation Agency (NIA).

The arrest was made based on a sketch released by the Kerala Police on information provided by an eyewitness. The accused has confessed to the crime, Maharashtra Police said.

Saifi, 27, is a resident of the Shaheen Bagh in Delhi's Jamia Nagar. A team from Kerala Police reached Delhi on Wednesday and visited Saifi's home in the Shaheen Bagh area, Delhi Police said.

Also Read: Kerala train fire suspect remanded in judicial custody

Kerala DGP Anil Kant had earlier informed reporters in Thiruvananthapuram that the suspect had been taken into custody and more details would be ascertained after a detailed interrogation of him.

Maharashtra Police said that Saifi sustained severe injuries as he attempted to jump out from a train in Ratnagiri's Khed area.

"He is severely injured, he was injured when he was travelling in another train and jumped down the train at Khed area in Ratnagiri. Some locals found him and rushed him to a nearby hospital in Ratnagiri. Police received information after which they detained him," Maharashtra Police said.

The suspected perpetrator had been absconding after the April 2 incident on the Alappuzha-Kannur Express train. According to officials, the man set fire to a passenger allegedly after an argument.

At least eight passengers on the train sustained burn injuries in the fire. Three persons who sustained burns in the fire were admitted to a nearby private hospital and five persons were admitted to the Kozhikode Medical College. At least three of the injured are women.

According to one of the injured persons the unidentified assailant splashed an inflammable substance, seemingly petrol or kerosene on his co-passenger and the fire spread to other seats and luggage, engulfing the coach in flames.

Police also said that three persons, including a child and a woman, were found dead on the tracks near Elathur railway station, hours after the incident.

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