Railway Cop Who Shot 4 Dead On Train Sent For Mental Health Check-Up

New Delhi:

A Railway Protection Force (RPF) jawan who killed four people on a Jaipur-Mumbai train on Monday has been sent for a mental health assessment, government sources said today, ruling out any communal angle to the incident.

Chetan Singh, 33, killed his senior and shot dead three more passengers on the Jaipur-Mumbai Central superfast express. He was arrested while trying to escape.

A “comprehensive mental and psychological health assessment” of the RPF personnel is being carried out, Railway Ministry sources said. They have ruled out the communal angle – raised by videos and posts on social media – and pointed out that the accused had also shot Hindus, including his own boss.

Four RPF personnel, including Chetan Singh and Tikaram Meena, boarded the train at Surat in Gujarat as part of an escort group posted on long-distance trains to protect passengers and cargo.

Witnesses say Singh, who appeared to be agitated, lost his temper and simply shot his senior. He then went from coach to coach shooting three more, including Ajgar Abbas Shaikh, 48, and Abdul Kadarbhai Mohammed Hussain Bhanpurwala, 62.

Singh had shown signs of poor health in the morning, after which he was asked to rest, sources said. He took rest for a while and then insisted he was fine, after which he resumed duty.

The Railway Ministry said it would look into the incident thoroughly after the medical report came out.

Constable Chetan Singh’s family described him as short-tempered and hot-headed.

The Western Railways has said they are conducting a high-level inquiry. Singh was posted in Lower Parel, they said.