As the train arrived at the Korapuzha bridge near Elathur on the evening of April 2, an unidentified individual poured petrol on the passengers and then lit them on fire before fleeing the scene. There were 9 persons who were severely burned and are now receiving treatment at different hospitals for their injuries.
Sharukh Saifi, who is accused of dousing passengers with gasoline and lighting them on fire on the Alappuzha-Kannur Executive Express, was apprehended on Wednesday as part of a joint operation by the Anti Terrorism Squad of Maharashtra and the Central Intelligence Agency. The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad turned Saifi over to the Kerala police.
On Friday, Ashwini Vaishnaw, the Minister of Railways for Maharashtra, expressed her gratitude to the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad for apprehending the suspect Saifi.
“The probe is still in the early stages,” the investigator said. He (Shahrukh Saifi, the accused) has admitted to committing the crime. That was his bag that was discovered at the crime site. He has worked hard to get into shape. According to MR. Ajith Kumar, Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) for the Kerala Police, further inquiry is now taking place.
In the vicinity of the Elathur railway station, the bodies of three persons, including a kid of one year old and a lady, were discovered on the tracks. This occurred a few hours after Saifi had started a fire in one of the other passengers on an express train and wounded eight other people. This event occurred at around 10:oo pm on board the Alappuzha Kannur Main Executive Express train in the D1 class.
