Kerala: Three dead, eight injured as man sets co-passenger on fire after argument in train

A woman, and a one-year-old child were among three people who were found dead on the tracks near Elathur railway station in Kerala's Kozhikode, hours after a man allegedly set afire a co-passenger following an argument.

Apart from these three people, eight other people on board an express train in Kozhikode were injured in the incident that resulted due to the argument, said a report.  

It is suspected that the man, who is yet to be identified, escaped when the Alappuzha-Kannur Executive Express slowed down after passengers pulled the emergency chain, PTI reported quoting railway sources.

The incident reportedly took place around 9.45 pm when the train reached the Korapuzha railway bridge after crossing Kozhikode city. The fire was extinguished by the passengers who alerted the Railway Protection Force (RPF).

"As per the preliminary information, the person who allegedly caused the fire escaped after the incident. Three persons with burn injuries have been shifted to hospital by the RPF and after necessary inspection, the train continued its journey," a senior railway official told PTI initially.

As per the initial reports, the incident took place after a suspected argument between two persons.

Kozhikode city police and the Railway Protection Force have initiated probes into the matter.

(With PTI inputs)

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