Kozhikode: Three bodies, including that of an infant, were found on the railway tracks at Elathur here, where an unidentified man had set fire inside a moving train.

At least nine persons had suffered burns in the attack inside the D1 coach of the Alappuzha-Kannur Executive Express around 9 pm on Sunday night.

While all the injured were rushed to hospitals after a passenger applied the emergency brake by pulling the chain, the suspicion of at least two persons – a woman and an infant – missing in the commotion had been raised by fellow passengers.

It was presumed that the woman and child had jumped off the train in panic. However, the bodies were only found at least four hours after the incident over the Korappuzha Bridge near the Elathur railway station. The third body is that of a man.

The suspect, who attacked the passengers and triggered the commotion, is yet to be found.

Two remain critical
Meanwhile, at least four of the injured have been shifted to the Intensive Care Units (ICU) of the Medical College Hospital and a private hospital in the city. The condition of at least two is serious.

Kozhikode Mayor Beena Philip said that according to police sources the suspect had attempted to set a woman passenger on fire.

A witness said the suspect had two bottles of petrol and he poured the liquid over passengers before lighting a fire without any provocation.
(to be updated)