Kerala train fire case: IG confirms West Bengal native's involvement in setting train coach on fire

Kannur: North Zone IG Neeraj Kumar Gupta on Friday confirmed that the West Bengal native nabbed as a suspect is behind the act of setting Kannur-Alappuzha Executive Express on fire.

The suspect who was nabbed last day has been identified as Prasoon Jeet Sigdar, a native of South 24 Paraganas, West Bengal.

The North Zone IG briefed the media on Friday regarding the interrogation of the nabbed suspect. He said," The accused first worked as an electrician and then worked as a waiter in Kolkata, Mumbai and Delhi. He also used to sell plastic bottles." 

"The accused subsequently began begging on streets in order to make money. The motive behind igniting the train was a disappointment and mental anguish over failing to obtain it. Before the incident, Prasoon had been in Thalassery for two days. He used a matchbox to set the train on fire," said the IG.

A high-level meeting was convened in the presence of IG on Friday. Railway Police and Kannur City Police Commissioner joined the meeting.

The CCTV footage made it obvious that the suspect had been close to the railway tracks shortly prior to the fire. Additionally, a security guard at BPCL testified that he spotted him. The suspect was thoroughly questioned. More CCTV footage from the vicinity was also examined by police. 

Meanwhile, a police team has reached Kolkata in connection with the investigation into the Alappuzha-Kannur Executive Express train arson case. A team headed by Kannur City Inspector Biju Prakash has reached Kolkata to investigate the suspect nabbed the other day. 

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