Chetan Singh Chaudhary, a former Railway Protection Force (RPF) constable accused of fatally shooting his senior officer and three Muslim passengers aboard the Jaipur-Mumbai Central Express on July 31, has been assessed as mentally stable.
Chaudhary was fully aware of his actions
In a charge sheet that spans over 1,000 pages, the Government Railway Police (GRP) in Mumbai has reached this conclusion based on testimonies from over 150 witnesses. They assert that the 33-year-old accused, Chaudhary, was fully aware of his actions when he opened fire and took the lives of four individuals. Video evidence shows Chaudhary firing at three Muslim men, who lost their lives, spanning across nine train carriages. In addition to these killings, he also fatally shot his senior officer, ASI Tika Ram Meena, following a dispute over leave.
While Meena's murder may have been driven by anger, the police believe that the other three killings were deliberate and targeted. A crucial piece of evidence is a video in which Chaudhary is seen making inflammatory remarks.
Next hearing on November 2
Due to safety concerns, Chaudhary was presented to the GRP via video conferencing. Initially, he was charged under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code for murder, along with sections of the Arms Act and the Indian Railways Act. Subsequently, additional sections were added, including 153A, 341, and 342 of the IPC and 151, 152, and 153 of the Indian Railways Act. The chargesheet also includes sections 364, 427, 506(2) of the IPC, and Section 3 of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act. Notably, the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act was not applied, even though Meena belonged to the Adivasi community. The next hearing is scheduled for November 2.
