Train Fire Case: Kerala DGP Directs Officials To Hand Over All Details To NIA

Malappuram Crime branch superintendent, the investigating officer, is directed to hand over the "CD files, connected records and properties of the case" to the central agency, the order said.

The suspect Shahrukh Saifi was arrested in Maharashtra on April 4

Source : File photo

The Kerala police chief directed the state crime branch to hand over all the probe details related to train fire incident to National Investigation Agency (NIA), the central probe agency, which is currently investigating the case.

According to PTI, DGP Anil Kant in an order issued on Thursday said, "Sanction has been accorded to transfer the crime case, registered under various sections of Indian Penal Code, Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, Railway Act and Explosive Substance Act, to the NIA's Kochi unit with immediate effect."

The crime branch superintendent of Malappuram, the investigating officer, is directed to hand over the "CD files, connected records and properties of the case" to the central agency in due course of time, the order said.

On April 2, a miscreant sprinkled petrol and lit his co-passengers on fire on a moving Alappuzha-Kannur Express train at 9.45 pm. Three people in the compartment, including a 2-year-old child, fearing for life jumped out of the compartment and died on the spot. Nine others suffered injuries in the incident.

The suspect later travelled on the same train to Kannur and after a few hours boarded another train and got down at Ratnagiri in Maharashtra, as per reports.

The Kerala police along with Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism and Central intelligence agencies zeroed down on the suspect and arrested him. The police identified him as Shahrukh Saifi. 

Shahrukh Saifi who was arrested in Maharashtra on April 4 was brought to Kozhikode.

Recently, the NIA took over the probe into the case. After the Union Home Ministry issued a notification the probe agency registered an FIR at the NIA court.

Meanwhile, Shahrukh Saifi was a youtuber with 488 subscribers. He uploaded six videos related to carpentry on his YouTube. One of the videos even gained him 80,000 views, said a report on the New Indian Express. However, the authenticity of the page was not independently verified.