A bogie of the Alappuzha-Kannur Executive Express train parked at the Kannur railway station caught fire in the early hours of Thursday.
The train, which arrived at the station at 11.06 p.m., was parked at the eighth yard near the third platform. Fire was noticed in the third bogie from the rear around 1.30 a.m. The bogie was completely gutted in the fire. No one sustained injuries.
Three units of the Fire and Rescue Services were pressed into service. The yard being inaccessible to fire tenders made firefighting difficult. The fire was completely doused around 2.35 a.m. Other bogies were not affected.
Forensic experts inspected the bogie and a dog squad was also pressed into service.
Initial reports suggest that the fire may have been set from outside. The glass pane of the washroom of the bogie was found broken and a stone was found in the washroom. CCTV footage showed a person approaching the bogie with a can. The police and railways indicate possible sabotage. However, Additional Divisional Railway Manager Zakir Hussain said no conclusions could be reached at present and the police had launched an investigation.
Meanwhile, the Kannur Town police have taken a suspect into custody. The person has a history of engaging in anti-social activities. He had set fire near the railway station in the past and on Wednesday he was seen near the track. But the police have not yet confirmed if he set fire to the train.
On April 2, a 27-year-old from Delhi had sprayed petrol on passengers on the D1 coach of the train and set fire when the train was between the Elathur and Koyilandi railway stations in Kozhikode. Three people had died and others sustained burns following the incident.
Meanwhile, Railway Amenities Committee Chairman P.K. Krishnadas, after visiting the bogie, said the case should be handed over to the National Investigation Agency. Such fires happening only in Kerala should be seen seriously, he said.
