Man accused of igniting blaze in moving Kerala train identified as 'labourer from Noida'

The Kerala Police, which on Monday first released the picture of the suspect who ignited a blaze inside a moving Kannur-bound train on Sunday night, leading to several fatalities, has now identified him as Noida resident Shahrukh Saif, sources said.

The police got this vital information by probing the social media accounts through a mobile phone which was recovered from the side of the railway track, though the SIM card had been removed and the phone was last used on March 30, as per the sources.

Saif, who jumped off the train and fled after the incident, is understood to be working as a labourer in Kozhikode and the police probe team is now trying to crack the case and apprehend him by getting in touch with his contacts.

The release of the picture of the suspect was made from CCTV footage that was recorded around 11.30 p.m. on Sunday night, two hours after the incident on the Alappuzha-Kannur Executive Express.

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Apart from the CCTV, information about the suspect was gathered from eyewitnesses who travelled in the compartment, and managed to help douse the fire.

Earlier in the day, state police chief Anil Kant told the media that they got vital clues and the case will be cracked soon and later announced that ADGP M.R. Ajithkumar would be leading the probe team.

Similarly, national agencies like the NIA have also initiated a preliminary probe into the incident.

On Sunday night, three passengers who are believed to have jumped off the Alappuzha-Kannur Executive Express, were found dead on the track. A two-year-old and his aunt were among the deceased.

According to sources, when the train was about to cross the Korapuzha bridge between Kozhikode and Kannur stretch around 9.30 p.m., a middle-aged man sprayed petrol on passengers and set them ablaze.

Nine passengers, who suffered burn injuries, are undergoing treatment at a Kozhikode hospital, where the condition of three is stated to be serious.

Passengers, who witnessed the shocking incident, said the culprit was a bearded man in a red-coloured shirt. He came from the D2 compartment into the D1 compartment and committed the crime.

Soon after the incident, other passengers pulled the chain and stopped the train.

The accused then jumped off the train and disappeared under the cover of darkness.

This morning, the CCTV footage showed the accused riding pillion on a bike around 50 metres away from where he jumped off the train.

A bag and a switched-off mobile phone were recovered from the spot.

The bag contained a piece of paper with a note in English and Hindi about places in nearby Thiruvananthapuram and Kanyakumari. It also had a pair of dress, spectacles, and a bottle containing petrol.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has condemned the incident and said the police will be able to bring the suspect to book and assured that the treatment of the injured will be taken care of.

Leader of Opposition VD Satheesan said that this is an unheard of incident and hence the state and central agencies should jointly conduct the probe to instil confidence in the minds of the travelling public.

State BJP President K. Surendran said the CCTV visuals indicate that it is the handiwork of anti-national forces.