KOZHIKODE: Following the arrest of Shahrukh Saifi, the accused in Sunday’s Elathur train arson attack that resulted in three deaths, the focus is back on the bag recovered near the crime scene that proved crucial in nabbing the Shaheen Bagh resident.
A notebook found inside, containing journal-like entries with dates, helped investigators home in on Saifi as the assailant who executed the attack in D-1 and D-2 coaches of the Alappuzha-Kannur Executive Express on April 2.
Saifi, who was brought to the Armed Reserve police camp Kozhikode from Ratnagiri in Maharashtra on Thursday, confirmed that the bag was his and that it was probably lost when he executed the attack. The special investigation team is now trying to find the reason behind Saifi carrying such a bag and the notebook having personal details during the crime.
The notebook contained entries like ‘Shahrukh Saifi-Carpenter’, ‘Fakhrudeen-Carpenter’ and ‘Harim-Carpenter’, the name of Saifi’s YouTube channel and names of places like Kazhakoottam, Thiruvananthapuram, Kovalam, Kulachal and Kanyakumari. The information was written in English. Besides the notebook, the bag also contained a bottle of petrol, several nails, a tiffin box, glasses, coins, a T-shirt as well as a mobile phone without a SIM card. The phone was last used on March 30.
Writings similar to book found in Saifi’s house
Saifi was nabbed by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad from Ratnagiri late on Tuesday following the combined efforts of state and central investigation agencies. After analysing the contents of the bag, the investigators surmised that the perpetrator had North India links and searched for him in UP and Delhi. Saifi was nabbed following a tip-off that he had sought treatment at a hospital in Ratnagiri. Later, the police found similar writings and notes from his house. Three passengers on the ill-fated train – Rahmath M, 45, her niece Sahara, 2, and Noufeek, 42, all of Mattannur in Kannur – were killed following the attack.
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