Palghar Train Shooting: Court Charges ex-RPF Constable With Promoting Religious Enmity, Murder
Palghar Train Shooting: Court Charges ex-RPF Constable With Murder Of 4, Promoting Religious Enmity
A Mumbai court on Wednesday charged dismissed RPF constable Chetan Singh Chaudhary with murder of 4 persons and promoting enmity between different groups on ground of religion. Chaudhary was dismissed from services after he was accused of shooting dead four persons on a moving train in Palghar last year.
Chaudhary, is currently lodged in Akola jail. The trial will now begin in this as charges were framed today. Chaudhary has been charged under Indian Penal Code sections 302 (murder), 153-A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc) and others. He has also been charged with relevant provisions of the Railways Act and the Maharashtra Prevention Of Defacement of Property Act, the PTI reported.
The incident ocurred on July 31, 202, inside the Jaipur-Mumbai Central Express train near Palghar railway station in Maharashtra. The train stopped near Mira Road station on Mumbai Suburban network, after the co-passengers pulled the chain.
Chaudhary was caught with his weapon later while he was trying to flee.
Chaudhary is accused of murdering a Railway Protection Force (RPF) Assistant Sub-Inspector Tika Ram Meena and three other passengers on board the train. Chaudhary had admittedto his crime by inadvertently pleading guilty to the crime before the Additional Sessions Judge. However, he later changed his statement to not guilty.
His lawyers told the court that Chaudhary had not been well rested and the incident would not have occured if he had been rested well, the report said. His lawyers also said that since none of the witnesses except for a woman have claimed that Chaudhary made communal statements, the charge of promoting religious enmity cannot be framed.
The court concluded hearing and framed charges against the accused today.
The case has been listed for further hearing on August 20. Chaudhary's wife claims that he was not well as he had a brain clot and hence was not aware of the incident.
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