A 25-year-old farm labourer was beaten to death by a four-member gang of thieves aboard the Hazrat Nizamuddin-bound Dakshin Express early Thursday morning. The victim, Shushank Ramsigh Raj, and his friend Kapil Kumar were travelling to Jhansi when the attack occurred at around 3:30 a.m.
Raj was fatally assaulted after intervening when the gang tried to steal Rs 1,700 and a mobile phone from Kumar. The gang, angered by Kumar's attempt to raise an alarm, began beating him before turning their violence on Raj. The attack lasted for about 30 minutes before fellow passengers intervened.
Raj later went to the toilet and vomited blood before losing consciousness. At around 7:15 a.m., Railway Protection Force (RPF) staff were informed and boarded the train near Hinganghat. The four suspects were taken into custody after the train passed Sewagram.
The suspects were identified as Sayyed Samir, 18, Mohd Faiyaz Hasimuddin, 19, M Sham Koteshwar Rao, and a minor. They had boarded the train from a station near Secunderabad. The accused were reportedly heading to a shrine and were supposed to disembark at Nagpur. Their mobile phones have been seized, and authorities are investigating whether the devices were stolen.
The crime came to light hours after the incident, raising concerns over passenger safety on long-distance trains. The train was delayed for about 90 minutes at Nagpur station to allow for legal formalities, including a spot panchanama and forensic collection.
The railway authorities announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs 1.50 lakh to Raj's family. A murder case has been filed, and the GRP is continuing its investigation into the incident and the suspects' criminal history.