Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
A foreign national died in police custody at Surat railway station after fighting with passengers and attacking them with a fire extinguisher aboard the Golden Temple Express, which was travelling from Mumbai to Delhi on the night of Monday.
Police have not yet confirmed the nationality or identity of the deceased, who was around 45 years old. The Surat Railway Police has registered a case of accidental death and begun an investigation into the death, which occurred after the man was taken to the Railway Protection Force (RPF) police station for questioning.
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The incident began after the Golden Temple Express, which had departed from Bandra Terminus, was travelling towards Delhi. The RPF control room received information that a foreign national was creating a disturbance in a general coach and arguing with passengers.
RPF personnel reached the coach and tried to calm the man down by speaking to him in English. However, he became more aggressive and started fighting with passengers. He then removed a fire extinguisher installed inside the coach and attacked passengers with it.
Two passengers also fought back against the foreign national as the situation escalated. The authorities were alerted, and the Surat control room, Government Railway Police (GRP) and RPF were informed.
When the train reached Surat railway station late at night, around 15 to 20 GRP and RPF personnel were already deployed on the platform. The personnel entered the coach and, after considerable effort, brought the man under control. They then removed him from the train and took him to the RPF police station located on Platform 1.
While police officers were conducting preliminary questioning at the RPF police station, the foreign national suddenly collapsed and became unconscious. Police immediately called an ambulance and took him to Surat’s SMIMER Hospital in a 108 ambulance. Doctors at the hospital examined him and declared him dead.
Surat Railway Police has started an investigation into the death in custody. Deputy Superintendent of Police (DYSP) DH Gaur has been assigned to investigate the case. Police have also conducted a post-mortem examination of the body at SMIMER Hospital. The exact cause of death will be established after the post-mortem report is received.
Surat Western Railway Superintendent of Police Abhay Soni told India Today’s sister channel Aaj Tak that the railway police received information through ‘Rail Madad’ at around 10 pm about a foreign national fighting with Indian passengers aboard the Golden Temple Express. He said the train had departed from Borivali and reached Surat at around 10 pm.
Soni said the RPF and GRP reached Platform 1 after receiving the information and found the foreign national fighting with co-passengers using a fire extinguisher. He said the man was taken off the train as per protocol and brought to the RPF police station on Platform 1.
According to Soni, the man became unconscious during questioning and was taken to hospital by ambulance, where doctors declared him dead. He said authorities have started an inquiry into the custodial death and are also working to establish the identity of the foreign national.
Police said the man had no identification documents. They recovered only a phone from him. Investigators will recover data from the phone in accordance with forensic protocols and prescribed standards before taking further action.
Soni also said the dispute began after the foreign national stood near the train gate and got into an argument with other passengers over a seat. Some co-passengers sustained injuries in the altercation, and legal proceedings related to those injuries are also underway.
Police said the fight involved the foreign national and other passengers.
– Ends
SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
