Kerala train fire: Prime accused Shahrukh Saifi arrested in Maharashtra's Ratnagiri

Kolhapur / Ratnagiri: In a joint operation with central security agencies, the Maharashtra police early on Wednesday arrested a man from Ratnagiri railway station, who allegedly set fire to passengers after pouring petrol on them in a moving train on Sunday in Kerala's Kozhikode.

Ratnagiri police have identified accused as Shahrukh Saifi, who had absconded after the incident and came to Ratnagiri in Maharashtra.

He arrived last night at Ratnagiri civil hospital for medical treatment to his head injury, which he had received while he was alighting from the running train, police said.

While being admitted in the Ratnagiri hospital, he suddenly disappeared from the hospital without taking any treatment.

After being informed about this, police teams swung into action and launched a search operation at midnight and arrested him at Ratnagiri railway station.

On Sunday night, three people, including a two-year-old girl, were killed and nine others sustained burn injuries after an unidentified person allegedly poured petrol on passengers and set them on fire on an express train bound for Kannur in Kerala.

While taking a serious note of incident, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has ordered an SIT inquiry of the incident.

Meanwhile, arrested accused Saifi has been placed into custody of Railway Protection Force in Ratnagiri, sources added. (UNI)