Kerala Train Arson Case: NIA Files Charge Sheet Against Sole Accused

Kerala Train Arson Case: NIA said that Saifi had intended to return to normal life after the commission of the act aimed at creating terror in the minds of the general public."

The NIA took over the investigation on April 17 on orders from MHA.

Source : PTI

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) filed chargesheet against the sole accused in Kerala train arson case on Saturday. The train arson that took place on April 2 resulted in the death of three passengers including a child and left nine others injured in the incident. According to NIA, "The accused Sharukh @ Sharukh Saifi, a 27-year-old, has been charged under various sections of IPC, UAPA, Railways Act and PDPP Act. He is accused of committing the terror act by setting the D1 Coach of Alappuzha Kannur Executive Express on fire on 2nd April, 2023."

The NIA Chargesheet said, Saifi, the sole accused in the gory case, had thrown and sprinkled Petrol on the passengers and set the bogey on fire with a lighter with the intention to kill people.

On April 2, Saifi, a resident of Shaheenbagh, boarded the moving Alappuzha Kannur Executive Express. Later, he committed the crime and continued to travel on the same train to Kannur before escaping to Ratnagiri in Maharashtra from where he was arrested. 

NIA said, "Investigations showed that Saifi had chosen Kerala for the act involving terror and arson as he wanted to commit his Jihad act in a location where he would not be recognised. He had intended to return to normal life after the commission of the act aimed at creating terror in the minds of the general public."

The NDA said that Saifi was self-radicalised through various online propaganda materials available on social media in favour of violent extremism and Jihad, as propagated by radical Islamic preachers of Indian and foreign nationalities.

He had committed the arson as a Jihadi terror act in pursuance of the online radicalisation, it said. 

The NIA took over the investigation on April 17 on orders from MHA.