KANNUR (KERALA): An empty train coach, which was halted after a man from Delhi’s Shaheen Bagh set several co-passengers ablaze in April this year, again caught fire at Kannur railway station in the early hours of Thursday, with government agencies suspecting a sabotage.
On April 2, Shahrukh Saifi poured an inflammable liquid on a co-passenger and set him on fire, resulting in three deaths and burn injuries to nine others on board the Alappuzha-Kannur Executive Express train.
At around 1:25 am on Thursday, a fire was reported to railway authorities at platform number 3 at the 8th yard. Fire brigade teams were called in to extinguish the blaze, but unfortunately, the coach was entirely gutted. No casualties have been reported in the incident.
Authorities said that the timely intervention of fire fighters averted a major tragedy as the distance between the burnt coach and the Bharat Petroleum Corporation’s (BPCL) fuel tank is just 100 m.
In light of the concerning nature of the incident, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has stepped in to assist in the investigation, joining the local police authorities. Furthermore, teams from the Intelligence Bureau (IB) and the National Investigation Agency (NIA) have arrived in Kannur to provide their expertise and aid in the probe.
As the investigation unfolds, authorities are considering a possible sabotage angle, with sources from the railway suggesting that a short circuit is less likely as the engine had been detached from the coach and there were no reported technical faults.
A forensic probe is currently underway to ascertain the cause of the fire.
Officials involved in the investigation told The New Indian that they have discovered more pieces of evidence suggesting that the fire was pre-planned. They have also found stones inside the coach and one of its window panes completely damaged.
A comprehensive forensic analysis will shed light on the exact cause of the fire, and investigators are meticulously examining available evidence, including CCTV footage.
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