A high-level committee headed by the Additional Director General of the Railway Protection Force (RPF) has been constituted to conduct a comprehensive inquiry into the tragedy that unfolded in the wee hours of Monday on board the moving Jaipur-Mumbai Central Express train where a RPF constable allegedly shot dead his senior and three passengers near Palghar station on Mumbai's outskirts.
Hours after the incident, a video purportedly showing the accused constable present near dead bodies and apparently justifying the killings surfaced and went viral on social media. The Government Railway Police has formed an SIT to probe the incident.
The accused, who has now been arrested, first shot dead a senior officer, Tikaram Meena in coach B-5. He then shot and killed a passenger, Abdul Kaderbhai Bhanpurwala, a passenger in the same coach. He then shot dead another passenger in the pantry car five coaches away and went on to kill one more passenger in S6 coach, which is 8th bogie from the B5 coach, an official said.
Two of the deceased passengers were identified by the Railway police as Abdul Kadarbhai Mohammed Hussain Bhanpurwala (48), a resident of Nalasopara in Palghar and Asgar Abbas Sheikh (48), a resident of Madhubani in Bihar, while the third victim was yet to be identified. While speaking to the media about the train firing incident, Western Railway Police Commissioner said, "He (RPF constable, Chetan Kumar) wasn't feeling well and lost his calm. There was no argument."
Purported video
A purported video has emerged wherein the accused, Chetan Kumar Singh can be seen speaking to passengers while standing over one of the victims' body. He allegedly said, "Pakistan se operate hue hain, tumhari media, yahi media coverage dikha rahi hai hai, pata chal raha hai unko, sab pata chal raha hai, inke aaqa hai wahan… Agar vote dena hai, agar Hindustan me rehna hai, toh mai kehta hoon, Modi aur Yogi, ye do hain, aur aapke Thackeray,” according to a report by The Wire.
(‘They operate from Pakistan, this is what the media of the country is showing, they have found out, they know everything, their leaders are there… If you want to vote, if you want to live in India, then I say, Modi and Yogi, these are the two, and your Thackeray’)
While the exact reason behind the firing is yet to be ascertained, GRP commissioner Ravindra Shisve told reporters that the purported video clip is being examined along with other materials. "It is too early to jump to any conclusion, and at this stage, it will be premature to comment anything and share any details about the probe," Shisve said, adding that police will investigate and examine whatever material they get.
