Train killings: Railways says constable hid medical issues, withdraws statement later

RPF officials — like other railway officials — undergo periodic medical examination (PME) every five years to test their fitness for the job. “In the last PME, no such medical ailment/condition was detected,” the statement said.

Around two hours later, the Railways deleted the statement from the Press Information Bureau website with officials saying that the release stood withdrawn. “A high-level committee has already been set up to look into these aspects. That is why the release was withdrawn,” a Railway Ministry spokesman told The Indian Express.

On Monday, after the killings, RPF Inspector General and Principal Chief Security Commissioner of Western Railway P C Sinha had told The Indian Express: “Apparently, he is known to be hot-headed. But then we found no such instance in his record of past five years. His record has been clean and that’s why I posted him in Mumbai when he requested six months ago”.

On Tuesday, the office of the Chief PRO, Western Railway, said that Sinha clarified that he was misquoted and that “no statement has been made to the effect that… (Singh) was suffering from mental health issues. The case is under investigation”.

Early on Monday, RPF constable Singh, who was on escort duty, allegedly shot dead his senior, ASI Tikaram Meena, and three passengers aboard the Jaipur-Mumbai Central Superfast Express. The passengers were identified as Asgar Abbas Ali from Madhubani in Bihar; Abdul Kadar Mohamed Hussain Bhanpurwala (64) from Nalasopara in Palghar, Maharashtra; and Syed Saifullah (43) from Nampally in Hyderabad.

On Tuesday, family members of Saifullah as well as Nampally MLA Jaffar Hussain Mehraj, citing eyewitness accounts, had alleged that he was asked his name before being killed.

“There were other passengers. His seth (Zaffar Khan) was travelling with him. Nothing happened to anyone. Saifullah, who had a beard, was identified by his religion and killed. We have his seth’s testimony that names were asked before the killing,” Mehraj had said. Saifullah’s uncle Md Wajid Pasha had said: “This is a terrorist act. He was shot after being asked his name.”

In a video, shot by fellow passengers, Singh, standing next to a body, is purportedly heard saying: “… Pakistan se operate hue ye, aur media yehi coverage dikha rahi hai, unko sab pata chal raha hai ye kya kar rahe hain… Agar vote dena hai, agar Hindustan mein rehna hai to mai kehta hoon Modi aur Yogi, ye do hain.”

Railways, however, has sought to distance itself from the video. “Its location and authenticity cannot be established. It can also be morphed. Matter is under investigation,” Sumit Thakur, spokesman for Western Railway, had said on Monday.

A psychoanalysis of RPF personnel to make sure they are mentally fit to carry firearms on duty is being considered while the high-level committee probes the circumstances of Monday’s killings.

The Railways has formed a committee headed by an RPF Additional Director-General to probe into what went wrong and what measures need to be taken.