Bodies of three people, including an infant, were found on a railway track near Elathur in Kozhikode district of Kerala on Sunday night, following an incident where an unidentified man allegedly set a co-passenger on fire, railway officials said on Monday, reported ANI.
A team of forensic experts have reached the spot and probe is underway.
#WATCH: Kozhikode, Kerala | Forensic experts reached the spot where the bodies of three people including that of a child were found near a railway track. pic.twitter.com/CzynpjE0Hw
— ANI (@ANI) April 3, 2023
The deceased have been identified as Mattannoor native Rahmath, her sister’s two-year-old daughter and Noufal, an official from the Railway Protection Force (RPF) said.
The man had allegedly set the passenger ablaze after an argument on board the Alappuzha-Kannur Executive Express train. The prime accused fled following the incident, after passengers pulled the emergency train. The suspect is yet to be identified.
The incident took place in the D1 coach at around 10 PM on Sunday night, when following the argument, the suspect allegedly poured petrol on a co-passenger and set the person on fire. Other passengers, including three women, who attempted to douse the fire ended up with burn injuries.
Kozhikode city police commissioner Rajpal Meena told reporters that eight passengers also sustained burn injuries, reported The Indian Express. He added that probe in the case is underway.
Police quoting eyewitnesses said that the assailant, carrying two bottles, suspected to be containing inflammable material, entered a reserved coach minutes after the train left the Kozhikode railway station. The suspect then sprayed the fuel on co-passengers and set them on fire, without any provocation.
The train resumed its journey after the two compartments were sealed.
