Wahid Khan reveals RPF constable Chetan Singh also harassed him, threatened to frame him as a terrorist

Mumbai: A recent revelation by a Muslim auto driver from Ujjain underlines how deeply vicious the Railway Protection Force (RPF) constable Chetan Singh was with hate towards Muslims. Chetan Singh, who is in police custody for killing four people, including his senior with a service rifle, is said to have repeatedly targeted, harassed, intimidated, assaulted, and threatened Wahid Khan, the auto driver, exposing himself as a bigot, with his misconduct stemming from hatred towards Muslims.

The Hindustan Times reports, quoting Wahid Khan, that Chetan Singh had faced disciplinary action from the department after being found guilty of harassing Wahid Khan.

Years prior to the shocking incident aboard the Jaipur-Mumbai Central Superfast Express, Singh reportedly subjected Khan to relentless harassment with evident communal undertones. According to Khan's account, the torment began in mid-2016 when Singh approached him, inquiring about his name.

What initially appeared as simple interactions soon escalated, with Singh coercing Khan to drive him to distant locations under the guise of "work," rarely compensating him for his services.

Over time, Singh's demands became more intrusive, with Khan compelled to pick up items from Singh's house. The interaction turned hostile as Singh consistently referred to Khan in derogatory terms and aired anti-Muslim sentiments.

He said Muslims are terrorists and their real place is in jail. It disturbed me, but there was little I could do,” Khan said.

The tipping point occurred in February 2017, when Singh aggressively accused Khan of suspicious activities on a railway platform, ultimately detaining him and verbally assaulting him.

Khan's ordeal did not end there. On multiple occasions, Singh resorted to physical violence, dragging Khan to an RPF outpost where he allegedly beat him and threatened to frame him in a false case.

Disturbed by the relentless abuse and fearing for his safety, Khan mustered the courage to file a formal complaint against Singh on February 18, 2017. The complaint, marked to RPF officials in Ujjain and the Ratlam division of Railways, outlined the religiously-motivated harassment, physical assault, and threats he endured.

Despite Khan's complaint, it wasn't until over a year later that an inquiry was initiated by the RPF commandant. The investigation substantiated Khan's allegations, leading to disciplinary actions taken against Singh. He was subsequently sent for training in Kerala for a year and later transferred to Bhavnagar. However, Khan's pursuit of justice continued as he sought details on the actions taken against Singh, even filing an RTI in September 2017.

A former RPF inspector, who chose to remain anonymous, acknowledged the delay in addressing Khan's complaint but assured that proper procedures were eventually followed. Singh's altercation with colleagues and the abuse inflicted on Khan led to his transfer and a six-month halt in his increment.

In a tragic turn of events, Singh's name resurfaced in the headlines when he was involved in a hate crime on July 31, 2023, wherein he killed his senior and three Muslim men aboard a train. Khan, having read about the incident, was shocked to realize that the perpetrator was the same individual who had tormented him for years. He expressed regret that more decisive action had not been taken earlier, possibly preventing the loss of four lives.