Arrest of Kerala train attack accused: Cong slams police for not acting timely

Thiruvananthapuram, April 6 Leader of Opposition V.D.Satheesan on Thursday lambasted the state police for failing to nab Kerala train arson accused Shahrukh Saifi, who was later arrested from Ratnagiri by Maharashtra ATS.

"Had the police acted timely, they could have taken the accused - a resident of Shaheen Bagh New Delhi - into custody," he stated.

The veteran Congress leader termed Chief Minister Pinaryi Vijayan appreciating the police for handling of the case a "big bluff" saying they only brought the accused from Ratnagiri.

"Saifi travelled on the same train in which he burnt fellow passengers, and got down at Kannur. By the time the train reached Kannur on Sunday night, the news was flashed on TV and the police could have easily taken him into custody. But he travelled on a train to Ratnagiri the next day and again the police did nothing to take him into custody," slammed Satheesan.

Alleging weak security compliance while getting the accused from Ratnagiri, the Congress leader said never before was a criminal brought in such a "lax" manner.

Changing a few vehicles and waiting for a long time on the road was a grave mistake by police. And Vijayan applauding their efforts is nothing but a big bluff as it was nothing but a major mess-up by police, added Satheesan.

A three-member Kerala Police team arrived with Saifi to a police camp at Kozhikode in the morning. He is undergoing a complete medical check up at the Kozhikode Medical College hospital.

After the check up he will be produced before a court at Kozhikode.

State Police chief Anil Kant said the questioning of the accused is yet to begin.

"The medical examination is underway and after that can the questioning begin. At the moment am unable to comment on the case," said Kant.

According to sources, Saifi has confessed to his crime and said that he did that on someone's instructions. Earlier, his father had admitted that his son had gone missing and he had registered a complaint at the local police station in Saheen Bagh in Delhi.

Saifi also admitted that it was his first visit to Kerala and on Sunday night he travelled on the same train after he set co-passengers on fire, which left three dead and nine injured.

He was arrested from Ratnagiri in the early hours of Wednesday by the Maharashtra Police after receiving inputs from Central agencies and he was later handed over to a three-member Kerala Police team who brought him to Kozhikode on Thursday morning.

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