3 hurt as miscreants open fire at train

Most passengers were bound for Goa

Three people were wounded when a group of anti-social elements opened fire at the Vasco-bound Nizamuddin Express near Londa Railway Station in Belgaum district on Saturday morning.

The three have been admitted to District Hospital here. They were identified as Ayan Dastagirsab Balekundri (17) of Azad Nagar, Belgaum; Mohsin Noorahmad Maniyar (20) of Vadagaon, Belgaum; and Shahid ul Basir Ahmad Desai (20) of Chikkodi taluk. They were reportedly recovering.

According to police, the train had mostly passengers bound for Goa to celebrate New Year’s Day. 

Coaches stoned
At Londa railway station, many people wanting to go to Goa could not board the train as the doors of general coaches were bolted from inside by passengers.

When the train was about to leave the station, some people started throwing stones at the coaches.

Some among them opened fire from their country pistols, injuring three people, and fled.
A bullet pierced through the stomach of Mohsin. Shahidulla had a bullet injury in his waist and Ayan received a bullet in his leg.

The injured persons told Deccan Herald they were also going to Goa to celebrate New Year’s Day.

According to railway officials, the wounded passengers alighted from the train at Castlerock where Railway doctor Salman administered first aid to them.

Train delayed
Later, Railway officials sent them to district Hospital by an ambulance. The incident delayed the train by 33 minutes.  The train left Castlerock at 3.58 am. The Belgaum railway police have registered a case.  The Railway Police and the State Police are investigating.