Unidentified assailant sets passengers on fire aboard train in Kerala, three found dead
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Kozhikode: In a horrific incident that occurred on Sunday night, an unidentified person set co-passengers on fire aboard the Alappuzha-Kannur Executive Express in Kerala. The train was bound for Kannur when the incident took place at around 9:45 pm, as it was about to cross the Korapuzha bridge between Kozhikode and Kannur.
As a result of the arson attack, three passengers, including a two-year-old boy, lost their lives and were found dead on the railway track. Eight other passengers sustained severe burn injuries and had to be hospitalized. The motive behind the attack remains unknown, and the police have launched an investigation to identify and apprehend the perpetrator.
On Monday morning, police discovered three bodies during a track inspection near Korapuzha, where the incident occurred. The police suspect that the victims may have jumped out of the train in a state of panic when the fire broke out in their compartment.
Along with the fatalities, eight passengers sustained burn injuries, according to Kozhikode city police commissioner Rajpal Meena, who confirmed that the investigation has begun, and the police are pursuing multiple leads.
Eyewitness accounts obtained by the police reveal that an unidentified person carrying two bottles, believed to contain inflammable material, entered a reserved coach shortly after the train departed from Kozhikode railway station.
Without any provocation, the assailant sprayed the fuel on co-passengers and set them on fire, causing panic among the passengers. The terrified passengers ran to other compartments while the train was still moving. However, someone eventually pulled the alarm chain, and the train came to a stop on the Korapuzha River bridge.
Sadly, the alleged perpetrator managed to flee the scene, and an investigation is currently underway to identify and apprehend the assailant. The incident has shaken the community and highlights the urgent need for more robust security measures to protect passengers on public transportation.