Central agencies like the National Investigation Agency and the Intelligence Bureau have confirmed that Shahrukh Saifi, who set his co-passengers on fire in a moving train in Kozhikode in Kerala, has links with terrorist organisations. Three persons died and many were injured when Saifi poured petrol on the passengers of Alappuzha-Kannur Executive Express and then set them on fire.
NIA and IB confirmed that Shahrukh Saifi (who torched the train in Kerala in which 3 people died and 9 injured ) has terror links.
— Major Surendra Poonia (@MajorPoonia) April 8, 2023
Shahrukh planned a big terror attack by setting whole train on fire on the lines of Godhra Hindu massacre.
Which political party/organisations want… pic.twitter.com/TyA9PMw5Mq
According to the central investigation agencies, Shahrukh Saifi, a resident of Shaheen Bagh in Delhi, did not travel to Kerala alone. Instead, he was brought to Kerala with the aim of carrying out a huge attack by torching an entire train bogie.
According to reports, the accused was influenced by terrorist ideology and encouraged to conduct the crime by a huge terrorist group. Similarly, he acquired all of the assistance he required to carry out the arson attack. The central agencies suspect a conspiracy behind the choice of Kerala and the Alappuzha-Kannur Executive Express as the target of the attack.
The agency said that had Saifi succeeded in his plans, the attack could turn catastrophic since Hindustan Petroleum’s oil tanks were nearby.
It may be recalled that the National Investigation Agency’s (NIA) four-membered team had visited the spot and inquired about the incident on Monday and suspected terror links to the incident. However, the central agency has not officially taken over the investigation.
If the NIA takes over, Saifi might be charged under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). If such is the case, he will almost certainly face UAPA Section 16 charges, which are for terrorist acts and subsequent murder.
Notably, while NIA suspects a terror angle in the case, the state police have said that the incident does not seem to be an act of terror. Only yesterday, the Kerala police had refused to comment on Shahrukh Saifi’s terror links. Speaking on the matter, Kerala police chief Anil Kanth said the police are not in a position to comment on whether Shahrukh Saifi, the accused in the Kozhikode train burning case, has any terror link or not.
Accused Shahrukh Saifi was arrested from Maharashtra’s Ratnagiri on 5th Aprl, where he was undergoing treatment for some ailments. From Mumbai, he was transferred to Kokhikode and admitted to Kozhikode Medical College Hospital, where he was kept in a special cell room under police surveillance. Yesterday a local court remanded him to judicial custody after a medical board said that he is fit enough to be discharged.
Saifi had reportedly boarded the Alappuzha-Kannur Executive Express train in Kozhikode at around 9.45 pm on Sunday, April 2, to pour an inflammable liquid on fellow passengers in the moving train and set them on fire.
The bodies of a woman, a man and a child were found on the tracks near the Elathur station after the incident, the police had stated. It is suspected that the 3 persons were trying to get away from the fire and may have fallen or jumped from the train to escape.
