Ten injured in UK train stabbing, two arrested

London: Multiple people were stabbed on a train traveling through Cambridgeshire, England, on Saturday, British authorities said, in an attack that led to the arrest of two men and drew condemnation from the prime minister.

Police said 10 people had been injured in the attack and taken to the hospital, with nine of those having suffered life-threatening injuries.

Armed police officers boarded the train and arrested two people after the train was stopped at Huntingdon Station in Cambridgeshire around 7:45 pm local time, according to a statement from the British Transport Police, which is responsible for policing the country’s railway network.

“This has been declared a major incident and Counter Terrorism Policing are supporting our investigation whilst we work to establish the full circumstances and motivation for this incident,” the statement said.

In Britain, specialist counterterrorism police routinely support investigations into incidents involving mass violence where the motivation is unclear. In a statement, Chief Superintendent Chris Casey of the British Transport Police called the attack “shocking,” but said “it would not be appropriate to speculate on the causes of the incident.”

“We’re conducting urgent enquiries to establish what has happened, and it could take some time before we are in a position to confirm anything further,” he said.

Train lines and roads in the area remained closed as investigations continued in the early hours of Sunday.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said in a statement posted on social media that the attack was “deeply concerning.” He added, “My thoughts are with all those affected, and my thanks go to the emergency services for their response.”

The train had been traveling from the Yorkshire city of Doncaster, in northern England, toward London and had set off on its journey at 6:25 pm, according to the British Transport Police.