Train firing incident | Ballistic report to be key evidence against RPF constable

Singh used his service firearm an ARF rifle, which is a semi-automatic assault rifle, to kill four persons, including RPF assistnat sub-inspector Tikaram Meena and three other passengers — Abdul Kadar Mohamed Hussain Bhanpurawala, Syed Saifuddin and Asgar Abbas Sheikh.

The magazine of one ARF rifle can be loaded with maximum 20 bullets. Singh fired 12 rounds, while eight live bullets were found in his rifle’s magazine, and were subsequently siezed, said a source.

When a cartridge is fired, it leaves a unique mark on the rear side of the bullet and there will be barrel marks on the empty shell of the cartridges. Once the bullets found in the deceased person’s body matches with that of the empty shell and the rifle used by Singh, it will become an important scientific evidence to make a watertight case against Singh and to prove him guilty of charges of murder, said a police source privy to the probe.

Another police source said that while scanning the CCTV footage of the train, police have found one CCTV video that partially captures Singh in the act. During the incident, some of the passengers also made calls for help or calls to families.

“In some of the recorded conversations, gunshots can be clearly heard. These recorded conversations have been attached as evidence,” another source added.

Singh is in police custody till August 11.