Jaipur-Mumbai train carnage: Key witness deposes in court, identifies dismissed RPF cop Singh

Mumbai: A 33-year-old man travelling from Jaipur to Mumbai by train, a key witness in the quadruple murder case involving now dismissed Railway Protection Force (RPF) constable Chetan Singh, told the court that he had heard an argument between Singh and his senior about seeking time off due to ill health.

The witness also said that later when he was in the washroom, he heard shots fired and saw the senior lying in a pool of blood and Singh holding a rifle. The witness identified Singh in court. His cross examination will continue.

On July 31, 2023, Singh allegedly gunned down with his service rifle, his senior, ASI Tikaram Meena, in B5 compartment on Jaipur-Mumbai Superfast Express, followed by a passenger, Kadar Bhanpurwala, in the same coach between Vaitarna and Mira Road stations. He then went to coach B2, where he took another passenger, Syed Saifuddin, to the pantry car at gunpoint and shot him. Singh then shot Asghar Shaikh in coach S6 and gave a communally charged speech while standing next to the blood-splattered body.

At around 3am, the witness said he woke to the sound of a conversation between three RPF personnel — one senior officer and two juniors.

The conversation centered on the poor health of one of the junior RPF constables who requested permission to alight from the train. The senior officer denied the immediate request, instead instructing the junior to take rest and sleep until they reached Borivli station. The senior officer advised the ailing constable to surrender his rifle to a colleague, the witness said.

"Thereafter, I took my phone too see the time and where we have reached," Sharma stated in his deposition. The witness recalled hearing the constable, who had complained of being unwell, demanding his rifle back, exclaiming, "meri rifle do (give me my rifle)". The senior officer attempted to calm the situation, reminding the constable that people were sleeping, before stepping out of the coach.

The situation escalated soon after 5am. Moments later, while inside the washroom, the witness heard "two or three rounds" of gunfire, followed by a chilling cry: "Maar dia rey" (Oh, he's been killed!). The witness said that upon opening the washroom door, he saw the same RPF constable who had been complaining of ill health standing with his rifle. The senior officer was lying on the ground, bleeding heavily. Terrified, the witness immediately closed the washroom door and called his mother and maternal uncle, who advised him to remain locked inside until the train stopped.

When he finally got out from the washroom at Borivli, he saw blood on the coach floor and the police officer "lying in a pool of blood". The witness said that he requested assistance from the police personnel present at the station before retrieving his luggage and heading home.

During his cross examination by the defence, the witness denied that after opening the washroom door, except the front door of the compartment, nothing was visible. "I cannot say that the exact number of the rounds of firing were heard by me. When I reached home, photograph of the accused person and the deceased was on news," the witness said in response to Singh's lawyer's questions.