Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala police on Monday released a sketch of the suspect who had allegedly poured petrol and set on fire his co-passenger on the moving Alappuzha- Kannur Express train, a day ago.
The Railway police conducted a search for the accused at a government district hospital in Kannur, according to officials. The search was done on the basis of a report that a person resembling the sketch of the accused released by police had sought treatment in the hospital on Sunday night. Police, however said that the person who sought treatment at Kannur district hospital is not the suspect.Police said that the person spoted at the hospital did not resemble the sketch, they released, of the suspect created on the basis of CCTV footage.
At least eight other persons sustained injuries in the April 2 incident and according to police three persons, including a one-year-old child and a woman, were found dead on the tracks near the Elathur railway station in Kozhikode district of the State, hours after the fire incident.
The suspect, who is yet to be identified is still at large. State police DGP Anil Kant addressing a press briefing earlier today said a special investigation team has been constituted to investigate the incident.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has condemned the attack and directed the police to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the incident.
"The attack is very sad and shocking. Have directed the police to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the incident and bring all the details of the crime before the law. For this special investigation team will be formed. Efforts are being made vigorously by the police to nab the assailant. The state police chief himself is supervising it," said Vijayan.
Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw termed the incident as "unfortunate" and said that he had spoken with CM Vijayan in this connection. "He is constituting a special investigating team, the Railway Protection Force (RPF)and the Government Railway Police (GRP). They are all collaborating to nab the suspect. We will definitely catch the culprits," he said.
"This is an incident which is very unprecedented, this kind of thing can never be imagined. And I request the honourable chief minister that whatever efforts needed to be are needed to catch the culprits, definitely we should make those efforts," The union railway minister said.
Kerala Governor Ari Mohammad Khan also expressed his condolences to the families of the bereaved.
"...Three people lost their lives. This is heart-rending. I express my condolences to the bereaved families. Security will have to take note of this," Khan said.
Prominent political leaders also wrote to the Union Railway Minister Aswini Vaishnav to do a thorough enquiry and give adequate compensation to the victims. five people sustained burnt injuries in the attack.
CPI MP Binoy Viswam and Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) chief and MP from Kannur K Sudhakaran were among those who wrote to Union Minister for Railways Vaishnaw urging his intervention and to constitute a high-level inquiry into the case and to and to release maximum compensation for the kin of the deceased.
Leader of Opposition in the Assembly VD Satheesan said that Central and state agencies should work together to investigate the case
"The incident that happened in the train last night has shocked everyone. This is something that is not common in Kerala. It is full of mysteries. A serious inquiry should be made. Central and state agencies should work together to investigate all aspects of this.
He stated that the safety of rail passengers is of importance and such an incident taking place in a peaceful state like Kerala has "caused a big shock."
"Let there be a serious investigation. It should be investigated whether there is someone working behind the scene to create a disturbance," the Congress leader alleged.
Meanwhile, Southern Railway Palakkad division in a statement said that the Divisional Control Office received information of the incident on April 2 at about 9.25 pm.
"On 02.04.2023 at about 21.25 hrs. Divisional Control Office got the information that a person sprinkled some inflammable liquid and lit fire on D1 Coach of Train No.16307 Alappuzha -Kannur Express and then escaped from the coach by chain pulling. This caused some passengers to get burn injuries."
The statement added that after the fire was doused the train resumed its journey at 10.10 pm. (ANI)
Kerala train fire: Man resembling police sketch of suspect spotted at Kannur hospital
