KOZHIKODE: The accused in the Elathur train arson attack case has denied any involvement in the death of three people who were found outside on the tracks. Shahrukh Saifi, in his statement to the investigation team, claimed that he did not push anyone from the train and did not witness anyone falling or jumping from it.
However, the police are still investigating the possibility of Saifi’s involvement in the deaths of the three victims. The police have also added section 302 of the Indian Penal Code, which pertains to murder charges, in the case.
As the accused was expressing physical discomfort, a medical team examined him at the AR police camp at Maloorkunnu on Sunday. After confirming that he was fit, the team said it will decide on crime scene visits and evidence collection in the coming days.
Saifi was arrested by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad on Tuesday night in Ratnagiri, as a result of the combined efforts of the investigation agencies, including the Kerala police, Railway Police Force, and Anti- Terrorism Squad. He was brought to the police camp in Maloorkunnu on Thursday and admitted to the hospital due to liver-related problems and body injuries. On Friday, he was remanded and released in 11-day police custody for interrogation.
The investigation team is checking the contacts of the accused since 2021 to get more details. Saifi had recently started writing a diary, where he wrote names and several places in Kerala. The police are investigating all possibilities and doubts in the case, including whether Saifi was trained to carry out the attack and who helped him. It is also being ascertained if the Elathur attack was a sole attack or part of a larger attempt.
Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan has criticised the police for their handling of the Elathur train attack case, stating that there were serious lapses on their part. He pointed out that the attacker was able to travel on the same train to Kannur without being detected, even though he had his face covered and was injured. Additionally, the accused was brought back to Kerala without any security. Satheesan questioned the CM’s praise of the police, stating that the case is still shrouded in mystery and all possibilities should be probed. He raised concerns that the incident occurred just before the election, and called for a thorough investigation into any possible motivations behind the attack.