After gunning down 4 in the train, ex-RPF cop called his uncle, told him to watch TV news channels

Before gunning down his senior officer and three Muslim passengers on July 31, his first call to Solanki was answered by his wife, who told him that his uncle was sleeping.

Before this call, Chaudhary had requested his superior ASI Tikaram Meena to allow him to get down at Valsad or Vashi as he was not feeling well. The request was refused and he was told to rest as after a few hours his duty was going to get over anyway, the chargesheet states.

Later, at 6.10 am, Chaudhary again called Solanki. This time, Solanki received the call and Chaudhary told him that he had gunned down his superior and three passengers with his rifle. Shocked, Solanki said he did not believe him. Chaudhary then told him to switch on the television and see him on ‘breaking news’, GRP sources said.

Later, Chaudhary asked his uncle to guide what he should do next as he was unable to think anything. His uncle asked him to surrender himself.

Next, Solanki switched on the TV and saw Chaudhary in the news and then called Chaudhary’s wife to verify it as he was still unable to believe the horror.

Investigators have established allegations of hate crime or Section 153-A (Promoting enmity between different groups on ground of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language) of IPC against Chaudhary at two places.

First, when he gunned down a Muslim passenger and then asked other passengers to shoot video with him standing next to the body and is heard delivering a hateful speech, saying: “Pakistan se operate hue ye, aur media yehi coverage dikha rahi hai, unko sab pata chal raha hai, ye kya kar rahe hain… Agar vote dena hai, agar Hindustan mein rehna hai, to mai kehta hoon Modi aur Yogi, ye do hain.”

The video of this speech had gone viral on social media. The police have attached these video clips recorded by three passengers in the chargesheet.

Second, when he forced a burqa-clad passenger Alfiya Rangwala (from Andheri) to say ‘Jai Mata Di’ at gunpoint. He also threatened to shoot her when she resisted the second time.

‘Should I shoot myself?’

His uncle was the second person Chaudhary had called after the incident. Before that, he had called his wife Priyanka Chaudhary and told her that he shot three passengers and his superior. He said he had done a big mistake and asked her to raise their two children well and take care of them. “I love you a lot. If you say should I shoot my self,” he said in Hindi. When he told her that he was unable to think of anything, his wife also told him to surrender.

Banged head against wall: Mother

Chaudhary’s family has been trying to save him (though not supporting the killings) by portraying his psychological state before the police. His mother told the police in her statement that in February 2023, when her daughter-in-law, in Chaudhary’s absence, asked her why she was weeping, she told her that when she stayed with her son for seven days during his Porbandar posting, she felt changes in his behaviour and was worried over this. “He would bang his head against the wall and murmur when he was alone. Chaudhary and his mother were once called to his office by his superior who told them that he does not salute his seniors and also behaves rudely with them.

Solanki claimed before the police that he (Chaudhary) was disturbed over his posting away from his hometown. “Chaudhary was expecting posting near his hometown in Mathura or nearby, but he was transferred to Mumbai. He was disturbed over this,” Solanki stated before the police.

Solanki also told the police that Chaudhary had fallen from a staircase seven years ago in the village and had suffered head injury. Later, he was also treated by a neurosurgeon.

No reason can justify killings: GRP

GRP officials have maintained that no reasons or excuse by the family can justify the heinous act committed by him with a conscious state of mind. “He selectively targeted passengers belonging to a particular community that shows his hatred towards that community. He also gave a hateful speech which clearly shows that he was in his complete sense,” an officer, who is part of the probe, said.

Chaudhary has studied till Class 10. His father, who was an assistant sub-inspector in the RPF, died of heart attack while on duty in 2007. When Chaudhary turned 18, he joined the RPF. Before his joining, he used to play football and also represented his railway school in football at the national level.

The dismissed RPF constable is now lodged in Akola prison. He was shifted from Thane jail last month. “We are surprised why he was shifted to Akola jail when there are other prisons around in Mumbai like Taloja, Kalyan, etc.,” said Chaudhary’s lawyer Amit Mishra.