RPF Constable Arrested After Fatally Shooting ASI And Three Passengers On Jaipur-Mumbai Express

On Monday morning (31 July), a Railway Protection Force (RPF) constable shot and killed four individuals, including an Assistant Sub-Inspector, aboard a moving train near Palghar Railway Station in Maharashtra. An official said that the constable was subsequently apprehended after attempting to flee.

According to the RPF, there were four casualties, including the ASI, in the shooting incident that occurred within the Jaipur-Mumbai Central Superfast Express (12956). The accused has been arrested, and the DCP North GRP has been notified.

Officials stated that the accused, RPF Constable Chetan Singh, fired from his official automatic weapon at approximately five in the morning. This resulted in the deaths of another RPF colleague, ASI Tikaram Meena, who was in charge of escort duty, as well as three passengers on the train. The train was en route from Jaipur to Mumbai.

Tikaram Meena hailed from Sawai Madhopur in Rajasthan, while Chetan Singh is from Hathras in Uttar Pradesh. Two other RPF jawans were accompanying them, and their statements are being recorded by the police.

Chetan Singh, according to a high-ranking officer of the force, had a short temper, media reports said.

During a Press conference, Praveen Sinha, the Inspector General of RPF (Western Railway), stated, "he had a short fuse, he was quite hot-headed. There was no altercation. He just lost his temper and shot his senior, then fired at whoever he saw."

According to an official statement from the RPF, "Constable Chetan Singh fired on Party Incharge ASI Tikaram Meena from his ARM Rifle and one unknown Passenger at Coach No B 5, and then fired on two other unknown Passenger in Coach No S 6 and Pantry car attached to the train. At about 6:18, the train reached Borivali and four dead bodies were retrieved by GRP and RPF officers and staff. The passengers are yet to be identified. Constable Chetan has been detained, and his ARM recovered."

The Western Railways has announced that they are conducting a thorough investigation into the incident. The accused constable was stationed in Lower Parel, as confirmed by the authorities.

With the assistance of Government Railway Police (GRP) and RPF officials, the police apprehended him at Mira Road.

PTI reported that after murdering his senior, the constable proceeded to another carriage and fatally shot three passengers.

The RPF constable fired from his weapon while the train was in motion, just after passing Palghar Station. He then pulled the emergency chain and disembarked the train near Dahisar Station. The railways' Chief Public Relations Officer confirmed that the constable was apprehended at Mira Road with the aid of police, Government Railway Police, and RPF officials.

On Monday, four RPF personnel, including the accused, were responsible for escorting the Jaipur-Mumbai Central Express from Surat station in Gujarat, according to railway officials.

Yesterday, a team of four members escorted the Dadar-Porbandar Saurashtra Express to Surat station. On their way back, they were responsible for guarding the Jaipur-Mumbai Central Express, according to a senior railway official.

Typically, escort parties on long distance trains consist of four to five personnel from the GRP and RPF. They provide security within their own railway divisions, and then pass on the responsibility to counterparts from other divisions.

According to PTI, the accused constable was attached to the Lower Parel RPF post, while ASI Tika Ram Meena was attached to the Dadar RPF post, and this was confirmed by Western Railway's Chief Public Relations Officer, Sumit Thakur.

The Jaipur-Mumbai Central Express departed from Jaipur station in Rajasthan at 2.01 pm on Sunday and arrived at Surat station at 2.47 am on Monday. It was at this point that the escort party boarded the train.

At around five in the morning, Constable Chetan Singh started firing from his automatic weapon.

The family of ASI Tikaram Meena will receive compensations from Western Railways. These include Rs 15 lakh from Railway Surksha Kalyan Nidhi, Rs 20,000 for funeral expenses, Rs 15 lakh as death-cum-retirement gratuity, and Rs 65,000 as part of the General Insurance Scheme.

As per a report by a news wire agency, ASI Tikaram Meena leaves behind his wife, his 80-year-old mother and two children — 25-year-old daughter Pooja and a 35-year-old son who are both married. Meena was scheduled to retire in 2025.