KOZHIKODE: Widespread investigation is taking place in Uttar Pradesh in connection with the train attack that took place at Elanthur in Kozhikode. Reports had come out the other day stating that the accused is a man named Shaharukh Saifi, a native of Noida. According to a recent report, the Uttar Pradesh ATS took two persons with similar names into custody and later released them after questioning. The two were taken into custody from Bulandshahr and Modinagar in Uttar Pradesh. The parents of the youth taken into custody from Bulandshahr said that their son had not gone to Kerala.

Central agencies are investigating terror links in connection with the incident. The NIA team from Kochi traveled to Kannur and examined the bogies. The team is led by NIA SP. Eashwar Rao, IG of the RPF South Zone, had also arrived in Kannur. He said that steps would be taken quickly to improve the security systems at coaches and smaller railway stations.

The incident that shocked the country happened on the Alappuzha-Kannur Executive Express at Elathur in Kozhikode on Sunday night at around 9:30 pm. The accused disappeared after pouring petrol on his fellow passengers and setting them on fire. It is assumed that the accused is a Noida native who had been working as a carpenter in Kozhikode.

The police had earlier prepared a sketch of the accused based on the details provided by an eyewitness. NIA, Intelligence Bureau and Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) are also conducting investigations.