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Having taken over the investigation from Kerala Police, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has registered a fresh FIR in connection with the incident of alleged arson on a Kannur-bound train in Kerala’s Kozhikode district April 2.
The local police had arrested a resident of Delhi’s Shaheen Bagh, identified as Shahrukh Saifi, 27, and said that he is highly radicalised and is a follower of controversial Islamic televangelist Zakir Naik.
Police had also invoked Section 16 of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act — acts of terror leading to loss of life are punishable with death or life imprisonment. Police had earlier registered a murder case against Saifi and also invoked IPC Sections 326A (causing grievous hurt by use of acid etc), 436 (mischief by fire and explosive substances), 438 (attempt to commit mischief by fire or explosives), and Section 151 (damaging railway property) of Indian Railways Act.
On April 2, Saifi allegedly splashed passengers on Alappuzha-Kannur Executive Express with an inflammable substance, later identified as petrol, and allegedly started a fire. Three passengers, including a minor, died while trying to escape and eight others suffered injuries.
Police have said that Saifi, a carpenter by profession, arrived in Kerala’s Shoranur town from Delhi on April 2 and spent the day on the railway station premises until boarding the train. According to investigators, he allegedly used this time to fill empty bottles with fuel from an outlet at Shornur.
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