A Mumbai sessions court on Wednesday (August 7, 2024) charged a dismissed Railway Protection Force (RPF) constable Chetan Singh Chaudhary with the murder of four persons and promoting enmity between different religious groups.
On July 31, 2023, around 5 a.m., the RPF constable allegedly shot dead four persons — three passengers and one of his senior colleagues, an RPF Assistant Sub-Inspector, Tikaram Meena — on a moving train. The incident happened on the Jaipur-Mumbai Central Express and was reported near Palghar station. The other victims in the case were: Abdul Kadarbhai Mohammad Hussain Bhanpurwala (62), a resident of Nalasopara in Palghar, Asgar Abbas Sheikh (48), a resident of Madhubani in Bihar, and Syed Saifullah (43), a resident of Hyderabad.
Chaudhary, lodged in Akola jail, was produced before the court on Wednesday, which framed charges against him and has initiated the trial process in the case. The prosecution said Chaudhary used his service weapon in the shooting and was arrested near the Mira Road railway station after passengers pulled the emergency chain and stopped the train.
Additional sessions judge N.L. More sought a plea from Chaudhary, who initially pleaded guilty but retracted to ‘not guilty’ after consultation with his defence team. The court charged Chaudhary under Indian Penal Code (IPC) Sections 302 of murder, 153-A for promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc. and others, and relevant provisions of the Railways Act and the Maharashtra Prevention of Defacement of Property Act.
The defence counsel argued on IPC 153-A and claimed that except a woman, none of the witnesses have given statements that said Chaudhary made communal remarks.
Representing Chaudhary, advocates Jaywant Patil and Surendra Landage submitted that their client was going through mental health issues and that he needed rest. He had also developed a brain clot that triggered him that day and had he taken proper rest, the tragedy could have averted.
The court will hear the matter on August 20.
