MUMBAI: A mentally depressed police constable shot dead four people aboard a moving Jaipur-Mumbai train near Palghar in Maharashtra early on Monday morning.
Railway Protection Force (RPF) constable Chetan Kumar Chaudhary killed his senior and three passengers on the Jaipur-Mumbai Superfast Express train (12957) between Palghar and Dahisar railway stations at around 5:23 am.
According to RPF officials, Chetan first opened fire at the escort duty in-charge, Assistant Sub-Inspector Tika Ram Meena, and then proceeded to another coach, where he shot three passengers. After the incident, the accused pulled the alarm chain and deboarded the train near Dahisar railway station. However, he was later apprehended from Mira Road in Mumbai.
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Sources in the RPF said that the constable was struggling with personal family challenges and was under mental distress. He was also upset over his transfer to Mumbai Central from Gujarat.
“He was a hot-headed a person. His colleagues have told us that he was struggling with mental issues… After killing his senior, he shot dead anyone he found in his way,” said Mumbai railway police commissioner Ravindra Sisve.
One of the deceased was identified as Qader Mohammed Hussain, a resident of Mumbai’s Nalasopara, who was returning to the city after attending Muharram procession in Jaipur, as per his relative’s statement to media persons at Borivali railway station.
Photos accessed by The New Indian show all the four victims lying in a pool of blood at different spots in the train. Meena was found dead near the washroom, while Hussain’s body rested on the floor in the corridor between seats. The body of another victim can be seen near an exit gate, suggesting that he might have tried to jump out of the running train.
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A senior RPF official said that the family members of the victims have been informed and they will be provided with ex-gratia.
Meanwhile, the Western Railway has announced ₹30.85 lakh for the next of kin of ASI Tika Ram Meena. “₹15 lakhs will be given from Railway Surksha Kalyan Nidhi, ₹20,000 for funeral expenses, ₹15 lakhs as Death cum Retirement Gratuity, ₹65,000 as General Insurance Scheme,” informed its public relations officer.
The force, responsible for security of railway stations and passengers onboard trains, has launched an investigation to establish facts leading to the unfortunate incident.