VELLORE: A man, said to be in his 50s, allegedly committed suicide by setting himself ablaze in the restroom of a West Coast Express train he was travelling in neared Katpadi Station at 1.35 pm on Tuesday.
When the Chennai-Mangalore West Coast Express train was about to reach Katpadi, passengers saw smoke emerging from the restroom and alerted the station master, who in turn alerted the Government Railway Police (GRP) and Railway Protection Force (RPF). The teams broke the restroom’s lock and found that the man had succumbed to his burns.
Katpadi GRP sub-inspector Srinivasan said that he could have been under the influence of alcohol as a quarter litre of alcohol bottle was found next to him. The man is yet to be identified as he had no ticket or ID card in his bag. He was travelling with two sets of pants and shirts in his bag.
Inspector Srinivasan added that the man may have carried petrol with him. All 15 passengers in the S11 sleeper coach claimed that they did not hear any distress call and said that there had been no RPF or TTE personnel around, Srinivasan added.
Around 3 pm, the train left Katpadi station after being delayed for nearly two hours. GRP officials said that the case has been registered at the GRP station in Katpadi and an inquiry is on. The body of the deceased was taken to the Government Vellore Medical College and Hospital.