Jaipur-Mumbai train firing: RPF constable who killed senior, three passengers dismissed from service

RPF constable Chetan Singh. File Pic

RPF constable Chetansinh Singh, who shot dead his senior and three passengers in Jaipur-Mumbai train firing last month, has been dismissed from service, an official told news agency PTI on Thursday.

The order to sack Singh was issued on Monday by Railway Protection Force (RPF) senior divisional security commissioner, the official told PTI.

As per the official, Singh was involved in at least three discipline-related incidents in the past.

Singh (34) is accused of gunning down his senior officer, Tikaram Meena, and three passengers when the Jaipur-Mumbai Central Superfast Express was near Palghar station on the outskirts of Mumbai in the early hours of July 31.

The three passengers, Abdul Kadar Mohamed Hussain Bhanpurawala, Sayyad Saifuddin and Asgar Abbas Shaikh, were travelling in different bogies of the train. Singh was later arrested by the Government Railway Police (GRP). The motive behind the chilling crime is still not clear.

Singh first shot dead RPF Assistant Sub-Inspector Meena and a passenger in B5 coach with his automatic service weapon. He then gunned down another passenger in the pantry car of the train and one more traveller in S6 coach, according to GRP.

Singh is now in judicial custody, the official told PTI.

"Not feeling safe here, planning to shift to another country," said the distraught son of a train passenger who was among four people shot dead allegedly by Railway Protection Force (RPF) constable Chetan Singh on board the Jaipur-Mumbai Central Superfast Express late last month, reported PTI.

On August 11, a city court did not allow the Jaipur-Mumbai train firing victim's son to attend remand proceedings when Singh (33) was produced before it at the end of his police custody. The RPF cop was later sent to jail under judicial remand by the court.

Anxiously waiting outside the courtroom, the 34-year-old man, who works in Dubai and recently returned to India, said they were not getting help from any quarters.

Singh allegedly shot dead his senior officer and three passengers travelling in difference bogies when the Jaipur-Mumbai Central Superfast Express was near Palghar station on the outskirts of Mumbai in the wee hours of July 31. He was subsequently arrested by the Government Railway Police (GRP).

The motive behind the horrendous crime was not yet known.

The victim's son said he visited the police station in suburban Mumbai that is handling the case multiple times and met the investigating officer, but did not get any cooperation.

The man further said they are not feeling safe here and planning to move to another country.

"We are feeling unsafe, why would we stay here?" he said, adding "obviously our house will be here (in India) and will come for a few days."

The GRP has booked Singh under Indian Penal Code (IPC) section 153A which relates to promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, besides provisions related to murder and kidnapping.

Accused Singh was nabbed with his weapon later while trying to flee after passengers pulled the chain of the train which stopped near Mira Road station (on the Mumbai suburban network).

He first shot dead RPF Assistant Sub-Inspector Tika Ram Meena and a passenger in B5 coach with his automatic weapon. Singh then gunned down another passenger in the pantry car of the train and one more traveller in S6 coach.

(With inputs from PTI)