PATNA: A mentally deranged train passenger brutally killed a railway employee by hitting his head with a hammer and left two others injured in Jharkhand’s Latehar district on Thursday, sparking
protests by railway officials and stranding of a few important trains for nearly an hour.
The incident, which happened at Barwadih railway station, caused shock among hundreds of people who witnessed it, including railway employees who were worried about their safety. Railway employees started an agitation at the station demanding the arrival of the DRM and increased safety arrangements there.
RPF officials said the mentally deranged man, identified as Mohammad Naseem, was arrested after he perpetrated the ghastly murder without either any provocation or any motive. The man who was killed, Santosh Kumar, is a fourth-grade railway employee who hails from Nawada district in neighbouring Bihar, they said.
“Naseem was travelling in Bhopal-Howrah Express and he suddenly got down the train and ran across the platform with a hammer in his hand. He badgered Santosh Kumar with the hammer and left him bloodied and dead in a few minuted,” said an RPF official. “Naseem was immediately caught by people on the platform and RPF men. He was then taken into custody,” he added.
Sources said the frail and tall Naseem, a middle-aged man, hails from Karbala Chowk area in Jharkhand capital Ranchi. “A probe has been initiated to ascertain any motive he might be having. It is still uncertain if his murderous attack was a random act,” said an RPF official.
Trains that got delayed due to the agitation of railway employees after the murder in broad daylight included Gomo-Barwadih-Dehri-Chunar Express, New Delhi-Ranchi Rajdhani Express, TamuTawi-Tata Express and Palamu Express, added the sources.