KOCHI: The arson attack on the Alappuzha- Kannur Executive Express in April this year was a jihadi act, the NIA stated in the chargesheet filed against sole accused Sharukh Saifi at the NIA Court in Kochi on Friday. The NIA, in a statement issued on Saturday, said the investigation revealed that Saifi, 27, had chosen Kerala for the act involving terror and arson as he wanted to commit the jihadi act in a place where the accused would not be recognised. He had intended to return to normal life after the commission of the act that was aimed at creating terror in the minds of the people, the statement said.
On the night of April 2, 2023, Saifi, a native of Shaheenbagh in New Delhi, allegedly poured petrol on passengers in the D1 coach of the Executive Express when the train crossed the Elathur station in Kozhikode and set the train on fire.
Three persons, including a child, who jumped off the train to escape from the attack lost their lives. Saifi was later identified and arrested by the Kerala Police from Ratnagiri with the assistance of the Maharashtra Police. The NIA took over the probe on April 17 suspecting terror links in the attack.
According to NIA, Saifi was self-radicalised through various online propaganda materials that promoted extremism and Jihad. “In this process, he followed radical and hardline Islamic preachers, including those based in Pakistan, on social media platforms. He committed the arson as a Jihadi terror act in pursuance of online radicalisation,” the statement said. According to the NIA chargesheet, Saifi set the coach on fire with the intention of killing people.
'Aimed at creating terror in minds of people'
The NIA on Saturday said the investigation revealed that Saifi, 27, had chosen Kerala for the act involving terror and arson as he wanted to commit the jihadi act in a place where he would not be recognised. He had intended to return to normal life after the commission of the act that was aimed at creating terror in the minds of the people