A RAILWAY Protection Force constable on Monday shot dead his senior colleague and three passengers in two bogies and a pantry car on board the moving Jaipur-Mumbai Central Express near Palghar railway station in Maharashtra, officials said. He was nabbed later while trying to flee after pulling the chain of the train which stopped between Mira Road and Dahisar stations (on Mumbai suburban network). Constable Chetan Singh (34) shot dead RPF Assistant Sub-Inspector Tika Ram Meena and another passenger in B5 coach with his automatic weapon.

 

He shot dead another passenger in B6 coach, and one more in the pantry car located between B5 and B6 coaches, a Railway official said. Earlier in the day, the GRP control room and a senior official had identified the accused as Chetan Kumar Choudhary. In the afternoon, GRP commissioner Ravindra Shisve told reporters the constable has been identified as Chetan Singh. According to an official, Singh was later nabbed by GRP personnel and his weapon was seized while he was trying to flee when the train stopped between Mira Road and Dahisar stations after passengers pulled the chain. Palghar is around 100 km from Mumbai.

 

The deceased passengers were identified as Abdul Qadirbhai Mohammed Hussain Bhanpurwala (48), Akhtar Abbas Ali (48), and Sadar Mohammed Hussain. “The incident occurred after 5 AM after the Mumbai-bound Jaipur Superfast Express crossed Vapi station (in Gujarat). RPF constable Chetan Singh, who was on escort duty, opened fire at his senior Tika Ram Meena and went on shooting dead three more passengers in different bogies of the train,” GRP Commissioner Ravindra Shisve told media persons. He said the exact reason behind the incident is not known yet as an investigation is underway.