RPF constable kills senior, three passengers on board Jaipur-Mumbai train




A Railway Protection Force (RPF) constable on escort duty fired 12 rounds from his automatic service rifle, first killing his senior and then three passengers on board the Jaipur-Mumbai Central Superfast Express early Monday, official said.

While two of the dead passengers were identified as Asgar Abbas Ali (48) and Abdul Kadar Mohamed Hussain Bhanpurwala (64), the identity of the third passenger was being ascertained.

Constable Chetan Singh, 33, first shot dead his senior, Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Tikaram Meena (57), before turning to the passengers, the Government Railway Police (GRP) said.


The incident, according to officials, took place around 5 am after the train left Vapi Railway Station and was nearing Vaitarna Railway Station, around two hours from Mumbai.


In a video, shot by fellow passengers, Singh, standing next to a body, is purportedly heard saying: “… Pakistan se operate hue ye, aur media yehi coverage dikha rahi hai, unko sab pata chal raha hai ye kya kar rahe hain… Agar vote dena hai, agar Hindustan mein rehna hai to mai kehta hoon Modi aur Yogi, ye do hain.”

Officials said they were checking the authenticity of the video. “We will verify it by showing it to the accused as well,” said a GRP official. “He terrorised the passengers travelling in the train… We will also record statements of the ticket checker, passengers and railway personnel to understand the motive of the video.”

According to GRP officials, Singh was nabbed by the RPF and GRP personnel while he was trying to escape after the train halted near Mira Road Railway Station.


GRP Commissioner Ravindra Shisve said they are yet to ascertain the motive of the killing. “The constable initially shot his senior after which he went ahead and shot three other passengers who were travelling in the train,” he said.

According to Western Railway officials, ASI Meena was shot four times at point-blank range.

P C Sinha, Inspector General cum Principal Chief Security Commissioner, Western Railway, told reporters, “Constable Chetan Singh is a short-tempered person and suffering from mental health issues. He had just returned from leave.”

Shisve said: “Our investigation is still at a premature stage. We are trying to verify it.”


                                             RPF ASI Tika Ram(photo is taken form indian express.com)



Railway officials said that about an hour before the incident, Singh had complained of restlessness following which ASI Meena had called the control room. His replacement was to come in Vapi but then minutes later, Singh told Meena that he was feeling better and could continue.


Singh, who has been working with the RPF for more than 12 years, was posted at the Lower Parel workshop. He was on a 12-day leave and returned from his hometown Hathras in Uttar Pradesh on July 18, and was put on escort duty.


                                         The accused, Chetan Singh. (Express Photo)


An official said that Singh had returned from leave recently. Singh, who was earlier posted in Ratlam in Madhya Pradesh, had himself sought the transfer to Mumbai. He came to Mumbai in March.

A case of murder was registered at Borivali GRP following which Singh was formally placed under arrest.