Relatives of Hyderabad resident slain in Mumbai train attack take possession of his body

Syed Saifuddin. File photo/Internet

The relatives of Hyderabad resident Syed Saifuddin, who was gunned down by a Railway Protection Force constable on a train two days back, took possession of his body on Wednesday, railway officials said.

Four persons -- Railway Protection Force Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Tikaram Meena (58) and three train passengers -- were shot dead allegedly by RPF constable Chetan Singh on board the Jaipur-Mumbai Central Express in the wee hours of Monday near Palghar station.

The three passengers were identified as Abdul Kadarbhai Mohammed Hussain Bhanpurwala (58), a resident of Nalasopara in Palghar district, and Asgar Abbas Sheikh (48), a resident of Madhubani district in Bihar, and Syed Saifuddin, originally a resident of Bidar in Karnataka who had settled in Hyderabad.

On Monday, the grieving relatives of Asgar Sheikh staged a protest and refused to take possession of his body unless the Railways assured to provide a job to his legal heir and made arrangements for taking the mortal remains to their native place in Madhubani district.

They staged the protest first outside the civic-run Shatabdi Hospital in suburban Kandivali on Monday and continued it on Tuesday at the government-run JJ Hospital in Mumbai, where the body was later taken for post-mortem examination.

They called off the protest on Tuesday evening and agreed to claim the body.

The mortal remains of ASI Meena were dispatched to his native place in Sawai Madhopur district in Rajasthan for last rites by train on Tuesday after tributes were paid to him by senior RPF officials.

Western Railway's chief public relations officer Sumit Thakur told PTI that the relatives of Syed Saifuddin reached Mumbai from Hyderabad and took possession of his body from the J J Hospital on Wednesday.

Also read: Video shows hate, while cops blame his mental health

"The bodies of all the four victims have been claimed," the official said.

Thakur said an ex-gratia of Rs 10 lakh was announced for the family members of the three passengers who died in the incident, and the amount has been paid to them.

The Railway Board has appointed a high-level committee to conduct a comprehensive probe into the incident.

Meanwhile, a court in Mumbai on Tuesday remanded the Railway Protection Force (RPF) constable Chetan Singh (34) to police custody till August 7, Press Trust of India reported.

Constable Chetan Singh (34) shot dead RPF Assistant Sub-Inspector Tika Ram Meena and another passenger in B5 coach with his automatic weapon after 5 AM. He then shot dead another passenger in the pantry car five coaches away and went on to kill one more passenger in S6 coach, which is 8th bogie from the B5 coach, an official said.

Members of a high-level committee, set up to conduct a probe into the incident of a RPF constable shooting dead four persons on a train, reached Mumbai on Tuesday and they are expected to meet officials concerned, authorities said.

The Railway Board has set up the five-member committee to conduct a "comprehensive inquiry" into the incident which took place on Monday on the Jaipur-Mumbai Central Express train, an official said.

The probe committee comprises the principal chief security commissioners of the Western Railway and the Central Railway, the principal chief commercial manager of the North Western Railway, the principal chief medical director of the North Central Railway and the principal chief personnel officer of the West Central Railway.

According to railway officials, the panel has been asked to submit its report on the train firing incident to the Railway Board in the next three months.

"An ex-gratia of Rs 10 lakh has been announced for the passengers who died in this unfortunate incident. The family of ASI Tikaram will receive dues as per service rules," a statement from the Western Railway said.

Following the incident accused constable Chetan Singh nabbed with his weapon while trying to flee after passengers pulled the chain of the train which stopped near Mira Road station (on the Mumbai suburban network). (Agencies)