On a fateful Monday morning, a shocking incident unfolded on board the Jaipur-Mumbai Central Express, near Palghar railway station on the outskirts of Mumbai. A Railway Protection Force (RPF) constable identified as Chetan Singh (34) allegedly opened fire inside the moving train, resulting in the tragic deaths of four individuals, including RPF Assistant Sub-Inspector Tika Ram Meena, Abdul Kadarbhai Mohammed Hussain Bhanpurwala (48) from Nalasopara, and Sadar Mohammed Hussain.
Among the deceased was Asgar Abbas Sheikh (48), a resident of Madhubani in Bihar, who had been traveling in the S6 coach. The incident left the relatives of Asgar Abbas Sheikh and other victims in deep grief and anguish.
Mohammad Amanullah Shaikh, Asgar Abbas Sheikh's younger brother, expressed their family's refusal to accept his brother's body until their demands were met. The grieving family demanded compensation from the Railways, arrangements for transporting the body to Jaipur, where Asgar Abbas Sheikh had been staying with his family, and an assurance of a job for one of the family members. Sharing the heartbreaking reality of Asgar Shaikh's five young children, all below the age of 12, who now faced an uncertain future, as reported by PTI.
In response to the tragic incident, the Western Railway (WR) took some measures to address the family's financial needs. The WR digitally transferred Rs 10 lakh to the savings bank account of Asgar Abbas Sheikh's wife. A similar amount was also provided to the family of another deceased victim, Abdul Kadarbhai Mohammed Hussain Bhanpurwala.
The motive behind the shooting still remains a mystery, leaving officials puzzled as to what could have driven the RPF constable to commit such a horrific act.
As the news of the incident spread, it drew strong reactions from political leaders. AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi criticized the BJP-led government at the Centre, calling the incident a "hate crime." He raised concerns about the alleged anti-Muslim hate speech prevalent in the country and shared a video purportedly showing the RPF constable addressing passengers with a dead body lying in front of him, adding to the gravity of the situation.
Congress leader Srinivas BV also expressed outrage over the incident and alleged that the country has been thrown into "fires of hatred." He tweeted the purported video, condemning the massacre on the Jaipur-Mumbai train and using strong words to describe the present situation of the country.
