Train arson accused confessed to crime, says ADGP

The police interrogated the Kozhikode train arson case accused Shahrukh Saifi after he was discharged from the hospital in Kozhikode.

Saifi was produced before a court in Kozhikode and remanded Friday. He was handed over to police custody for 11 days. Murder charges were also invoked against him, while a decision on invoking UAPA will be taken after further interrogation.

ADGP (law and order) M R Ajithkumar who is heading the probe said that he had confessed to the crime, adding that other minute details cannot be revealed now. "All angles like the involvement of any other persons or organisations in the crime were being probed. The detailed interrogation of the accused had just begun. Central agencies were also involved in the investigation," he said.

A team of state police quizzed relatives and friends of Saifi in Delhi.

Shaheen Bagh native Saifi was held from Ratnagiri in Maharashtra Wednesday. He was accused of setting fire to the D1 coach of Alappuzha-Kannur executive express train as it reached Elathur in Kozhikode late April 2. Three persons died and nine suffered burns in the incident.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan visited the families of the deceased on Friday. The government had earlier announced assistance of Rs 5 lakh each to the families of victims.