Coach of stationary train gutted in suspected arson at Kannur station, man taken into custody

The Alappuzha-Kannur Executive Express train – the same train that was involved in another arson incident in Kozhikode district two months ago – had completed its trip by 11.07 pm on Wednesday, and after all passengers had disembarked, it was moved to the yard and the engine was separated from the bogies. It was after this, at 1.25 am on Thursday that the blaze started. Railway workers informed the fire brigade, which doused the fire by around 2.20 am.

According to police, CCTV footage showed a man carrying a can entering the train before the fire broke out. He was reportedly seen coming towards the train from the Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited’s fuel storage facility nearby.

Results of the forensic examination of the site were awaited.

Central agencies like the National Investigation Agency and the Intelligence Bureau reportedly arrived at the scene within hours of the incident.

The incident comes two months after three passengers, including an infant, died and nine people suffered burn injuries when a man poured petrol on them and started a fire on board the same train near Elathur in Kozhikode district.

A man identified as Shahrukh Saifi from Delhi was arrested in connection with the April 2 incident. He is currently in judicial custody.

The Congress said that the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) government and the police were not dealing with such matters seriously and demanded a proper probe into reasons behind such incidents.

Leader of Opposition in the State Assembly, the Congress’s V D Satheesan, said that such incidents have created “insecurity” in the minds of the people, and that the state government needed to intervene and take steps to strengthen safety and security measures.

Satheesan also blamed the police for their alleged lack of seriousness in dealing with such cases, saying it was apparent from how the Elathur train arson incident was handled.

The BJP accused the government of encouraging and supporting religious extremists and terror groups as part of their alleged vote bank politics.

BJP’s Kerala unit president K Surendran claimed that there was peace in the state due to efforts of the Centre and its agencies. “Kerala (government) has sacrificed national security for vote bank,” he alleged.

Chairman of Indian Railways’ Passenger Amenities Committee (PAC), P K Krishnadas, said such incidents created fear and anxiety in the general public, especially those travelling by train, and questioned why it was happening “again and again” in Kerala.

The PAC is an organisation under the Railway ministry to look into whether passenger amenities are provided on trains and at stations.

Krishnadas, also a National Executive Member of the BJP, said investigative agencies suspected the involvement of several people behind the latest incident. “People need to understand that it was not a coincidence but a planned conspiracy…,” he said.