Kozhikode (Kerala): Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday said a Special Investigation Team (SIT) will be formed to probe the fire incident onboard a train, which led to the loss of three lives, including an infant, the previous night in Kozhikode district of the state. The accused man, who set fire to the people inside one of the compartments of the Alappuzha-Kannur Executive Express on Sunday night, is yet to be identified and no arrests have been made so far in the case though police released his sketch based on the witness accounts.
The incident has left three people dead, and nine others are undergoing treatment for burn injuries in hospitals. An investigation is underway to determine whether there are any terror links to the attack and the anti-terrorist squad has already reached the site. There is a possibility that the government might hand over the investigation to the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
Police suspect that an assailant is a 25-year-old man and a native of Uttar Pradesh, and they have already recovered the CCTV footage of the suspect. He is seen escaping on a bike as a pillion rider. The police also found a bag near the track that they suspect that the bag belongs to the attacker. Inside the bag, they found a pocket diary and notebook written in English and Hindi, which mention the names of various locations such as Kovalam, Kanyakumari, Chirainkeez and Kulachal.
The police suspect that the Korapuzha bridge itself was chosen as the site of the attack to increase the death rate, as people are likely to jump into the river out of fear. The attack was carried out by an unidentified man wearing a red shirt and a cap, who walked into the D 1 compartment of the train. Two bottles of petrol were poured on passengers, and then set on fire. The first information was that the fire broke out in the D1 and D2 compartments of the Alappuzha-Kannur Executive Express train, which went towards Kannur at 9:07 pm on Sunday.
Also read: Kerala: Three found dead on tracks after man sets co-passenger afire on Kannur Executive Express
The deceased have been identified as Rahmat (43), a resident of Mattanur Palot Palli, her younger sister's daughter Sahara (2) and Naufiq (41). It is suspected that the deceased may have jumped from the train after learning that the train was on fire. The bodies were found between Elathur station and Korapuzha bridge.
Meanwhile, Anil Kumar (50), a native of Kathirur, his wife Sajisha (47), son Advaid (21), Ashwati (29), a native of Thrissur, Ruby (52), a native of Thaliparamba, Rasik (27), a native of Mattanur, Jothindranath (50), a native of Thaliparamba, Prince (39), a native of Thrissur, Prakashan (52), a native of Kannur suffered burn injuries. Five people are undergoing treatment at Medical College, three at Baby Memorial Hospital and one at Koilandi Taluk Hospital.
The police are also investigating whether the incident is related to the recent Gujarat riots case where a court acquitted 26 accused in the gang rape and murder cases. The incident has sent shockwaves across Kerala, and the state police and Railway Protection Force have launched probes into the gruesome incident.
CPI MP demands high-level inquiry
The Communist Party of India (CPI) MP Binoy Viswam on Monday appealed to Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw to set up a high-level inquiry to investigate the Kerala train incident. "This is an extremely distressing incident, and I urge you to take immediate action to address the situation. I request you to form a high-level inquiry to investigate the circumstances leading up to the incident and to identify any lapses in the security and safety measures in board the train," said Viswam in a letter written to Vaishnaw.
"I urge you to release maximum compensation for the family of the deceased. The loss of a loved one is an irreparable loss, and it is important to provide adequate support to the family members during this difficult time. I request you to ensure that the compensation is released at the earliest and that the family members are provided with any other necessary assistance," he wrote.
