Puri: The sub-divisional judicial magistrate (SDJM) court here allowed the Government Railway Police (GRP) to take Ramchandran Subash, lone accused in Puri Railway Station fire mishap on a three day remand. The GRP had urged the court for a remand extension of 10-days of Subash on Monday.
Investigators on condition of anonymity said, the GRP will try to elicit more information on Ramchandran’s possible link with a Mumbai module before the case is handed over to National Investigating Agency (NIA) as requested by the State government yesterday.
Official probing the matter have found out that the accused may have been employed by such a group which is carrying out ‘dry runs’ across places of religious significance.
Subash, sources pointed out, has carried out for reconnaissance in Tirumala and Akshardham with some of his associates. Though he could be a small link in the whole chain, the investigators are looking to identify his associates.
Intelligence officials, who questioned him, said he had admitted to involvement in similar incidents in Hrishikesh-Delhi train at Haridwar and Gaya stations this month. “On the day of the Puri incident, he did a similar act at Kharagpur. He also admitted setting fire to a suburban train in Chennai last year and in Mumbai two months ago,” said an official, adding that most of his claims are yet to be corroborated.
With such details emerging, sources said, the National Investigation Agency is likely to take over the probe in next couple of days through a formal notification.