Kerala train fire: Accused Saifi sent to 14-day judicial custody

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:  Shahrukh Saifi -- prime suspect in the Kerala train fire case which claimed three lives -- was sent to 14-day judicial custody on Friday.

Accused of setting fellow passengers ablaze on a moving train, 24-year-old Saifi is currently undergoing treatment at Kozhikode Medical College hospital.

He was hospitalised after being taken into custody from Ratnagiri in Maharashtra as he had suffered injuries and his bilirubin levels were high.

On Thursday, after the medical examination tests revealed that he had suspected jaundice, the local magistrate arrived at the hospital this morning and decided to send Saifi to judicial custody.

Soon after the magistrate left, the medical board met and after assessing the medical condition of Saifi decided that he could be discharged.

The police will now decide to which jail he should be taken to.

With Saifi being sent to judicial custody, the Kerala Police probe team will have to move the court for his custody for questioning and evidence collection. They will take him to Ratnagiri from where he was arrested by the Maharashtra Anti-Terror Squad with the help of the Central agency on Wednesday.

Saifi was driven down to Kozhikode and arrived at a police camp at around 545 a.m. on Thursday.

It was on Sunday night that Saifi, hailing from Delhi, doused petrol on fellow passengers and set them afire while the train was moving from Kozhikode to Kannur.

Three people, including a two-year-old girl, died after they panicked and jumped out of the moving train. Nine others suffered burn injuries.

The Kerala Police could question him for a few hours on Thursday, after which he was admitted to the hospital. Hence, they are expected to move court to get Saifi's custody.