In a tragic incident on a train travelling from Jaipur to Mumbai, a constable with India's Railway Protection Force (RPF) has been arrested for shooting dead four people the BBC reported.
The accused, identified as Chetan Kumar Choudhary, first targeted Tikaram Meena, an assistant sub-inspector with the RPF, and then proceeded to shoot three other passengers on the train.
Chetan Kumar Choudhary, a constable with India's Railway Protection Force (RPF) - Image Credit: The BBC
The shooting occurred just after the train passed the town of Palghar, around 96 km (60 miles) from Mumbai.
After the incident, Kumar pulled the in-house alarm chain to stop the train and attempted to escape. However, he was apprehended by authorities on the outskirts of Mumbai.
The victims of the shooting are being identified as investigations into the constable's motive are underway.
RPF personnel are responsible for ensuring the safety of railway passengers and property in India.
According to a statement from the Western Railways, there were no apparent arguments or altercations before the shooting, leading some officials to believe that the constable may have been facing personal or mental health issues at the time of the incident.
In the aftermath of the incident, some reports have suggested that the RPF constable, may have been a short-tempered person.
However, the Western Railway Police Commissioner refuted claims of any argument leading up to the shooting, stating that the constable was not feeling well and acted impulsively.
The incident has resulted in a case of murder being lodged under section 302 of the Indian Penal Code, and investigations are ongoing to understand the sequence of events that led to the killings.
During the hearing, Clifford denied all the charges except for the rape charge, which was added to the indictment at the session. (Photo: Hertfordshire Police /Handout via REUTERS)
Man pleads not guilty to murder of BBC presenter's family
A 26-year-old man has pleaded not guilty to charges of murdering the wife and two daughters of BBC sports commentator John Hunt in a crossbow and knife attack.
Kyle Clifford, who also faces charges of rape, appeared via video link at Cambridge Crown Court on Thursday.
Clifford, arrested in July after a manhunt, is charged with three counts of murder, one count each of rape and false imprisonment, and two counts of possessing offensive weapons – a 10-inch knife and a crossbow.
During the hearing, Clifford denied all the charges except for the rape charge, which was added to the indictment at the session.
He is expected to enter a plea for that charge at a later date.
The victims were Carol Hunt, 61, wife of horseracing commentator John Hunt, and their daughters Louise, 25, and Hannah, 28.
An earlier hearing revealed that Louise had been found tied up and that both she and her sister had been shot with a crossbow, while their mother had been stabbed with a knife.
The fatal attack occurred at the family’s home in Bushey, a commuter town near Watford, northwest of London.
(With inputs from AFP)