Suryap

Puri: The Government Railway Police today arrested one person in connection with the fire incident at Puri-Hatia Tapaswini Express on March 22 during which four bogies of the train were gutted.

According to reports, after examining the footage of eight CCTVs installed at the Puri station, GRP personnel initially detained one Ashok Pradhan of Brahmagiri area and later arrested him when he confessed to the crime during questioning.

“I set the train bogies on fire with the help of a piece of cloth, and fled the spot thereafter,” said the accused.

Pradhan, a habitual robber, was nurturing a grudge as he was barred by GRP personnel from entering the Puri Station. It is pertinent to mention that several cases of robbery have been pending against Pradhan due to which he was not allowed to enter the station.

According to GRP personnel, Pradhan torched the train bogies out of anger and is likely to be taken on remand to elicit further information.

“At around 12:34 PM, the accused entered the train and then came out at the other end of the platform. On the basis of CCTV footage we found him.On March 22, he somehow entered the platform and set the train on fire,” said Santosh Kumar Bahinipati, officer in-charge, Puri GRP.

As many as four bogies of Tapaswini Express were gutted at Puri railway station on March 22. A major tragedy was averted as there were no passengers inside the train as it had halted at platform-4 for routine cleanliness and other maintenance work.

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