According to sources, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has taken over the Kerala train fire tragedy case and has begun its investigation, charging the “highly radicalised” arrested accused Shahrukh Safi.
The move was made in response to an order issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs’ Counter Terrorism and Counter Radicalization (CTCR) division. According to the sources, the NIA invoked the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in its investigation because it had doubts that the accused was sent to the state by his handlers and received adequate local assistance.
The case was taken over by the anti-terror agency from Kerala Police, which had been investigating it under UAPA.
The NIA’s action comes just days after the accused, identified as Shahrukh Saifi, who also suffered burn injuries during the terror act, was charged with murder by a district session court in Kozhikode on Friday under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code. In a case filed by the railway police, he was charged with murder.
According to officials, there was a pre-planned conspiracy behind the crime, and it was not a one-man mission, as the accused admitted.