Passengers of the Thiruvananthapuram-Lokmanya Tilak Netravati Express on Tuesday had a narrow escape after a mentally unstable person, who had locked himself up in the toilet of a bogie, tried to commit suicide by setting himself on fire. The incident occurred around noon as the train was about to depart from Kayamkulam. The police identified the man as Nivaz, 44, hailing from Vellore in Tamil Nadu.
According to the police, smoke was detected from the compartment and the loco pilot immediately stopped the train. The railway police personnel forced open the doors of the toilet. The man, found amid smoke and fire, was rescued and taken to the taluk hospital and later to the medical college hospital at Vandanam here. He had apparently tried to commit suicide by setting fire to the clothes in his possession.
Nivaz was reported missing from Vellore four days ago. A complaint had been lodged by his father at the local police station. He is reportedly a computer serviceman. The police, who questioned him, could not elicit satisfactory answers as he was found to be mentally unstable. Nivaz sustained about 40 per cent burns, Kayamkulam police said.
The bogie was detached from the train soon after the incident. The train continued its journey after about two hours.
