Kerala train fire accused confesses to crime, claim police

The prime suspect in the train fire case in Kerala has confessed to the crime, police said in Kozhikode on Friday.

ADGP (law and order), M R Ajith Kumar told reporters that the interrogation of the accused was underway and further details cannot be disclosed at this point.

".. he has admitted that he committed the crime. We are questioning the accused... An accused involved in such cases may not reveal his motive. Interrogation is a long process," Kumar said.

Hours after the Special Investigation Team secured the custody of the accused, the senior officer said the team was probing all angles.

"We will take him to collect evidence as the interrogation proceeds," he added.

The custody of the accused was obtained after he was declared physically fit by a medical board in Kozhikode.

The police official also said the bag, which was found along the track with a book and a bottle of petrol belongs to the accused.

Earlier, a court here granted 11-days custody of Shahrukh Saifi, who is accused of setting his co-passengers on fire on board Alappuzha-Kannur Executive Express train when it reached Korapuzha bridge in Kozhikode.

Nine people suffered burn injuries while three including a toddler were found dead on the track. Police suspect that they fell while trying to escape from the fire.