Shooting in Jaipur-Mumbai train: RPF cop reported inability to walk an hour before he killed 4

The source said that Pandey initially got a call at around 4 am from the control room, informing that an RPF personnel had reported unwell in the running train.

“Meena had called the control room as Singh kept insisting on being relieved from duty and dropped off at Valsad railway station as he was unwell,” said an official.

The ASC then spoke to Meena who said that Singh was giving an excuse to get relieved from duty early, following which even Pandey had a word with the constable.

“Pandey asked whether he had fever or any heart related problem, to which Singh said that he was suffering from hydrocele and was not able to work. As Singh did not want to perform his duty, Pandey asked him to rest in the train till Borivali,” said a source.

His colleagues and Meena were further directed to take his weapon and allow him to rest. However, after resting for 10-15 minutes, Singh took his colleague Amay Acharya’s service weapon.

“He suddenly got up and forced me to give his weapon. As I refused to give him, he even tried to strangle me and took the rifle from me. But my mistake Singh took my weapon. I informed Meena, following which I took my service weapon from him and he took back his service weapon,” read Acharya’s statement to police.

Around 5 am, Singh fired four rounds at Meena in coach B5, where he shot dead another passenger Abdul Kadar Mohamed Hussain Bhanpurawala (64), following which he went to coach B2 and took Syed Saifuddin to pantry coach on gunpoint before killing Asgar Abbas Sheikh (48) in coach S6. GRP officials said that they have called Singh’s family members to Mumbai for further inquiry.

“It is being claimed that he is mentally unstable so we will ask them to produce all his medical reports,” said an official.

So far, the investigators have recorded the statements of around 20 persons, including railway officials, RPF personnel and train passengers. Senior GRP officials said that they were still trying to ascertain the motive behind the killings.