Warning Muslims in video after train murder: a new charge against Chetan Singh
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New Delhi: The Government Railway Police (GRP), which initially downplayed any communal link to the murder spree on a Jaipur-Mumbai train, has now imposed charges of promoting communal enmity between different religious groups on RPF constable Chetan Singh.
Section 153A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) in the First Information Report (FIR) charged with Chetan pertains to promoting enmity between different groups based on religion, race, residence, and language.
The move follows the emergence of a viral video showing Singh with a bloody body at his feet, delivering a speech that makes references to Pakistan, Indian media, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, and "Thackeray."
The accused's tirade took a dark turn when he singled out Muslims, as three of the victims were from the community. Singh's first victim was his superior, Sub-Inspector Tika Ram Meena, and he proceeded to shoot three Muslim passengers – Abdul Qadirbhai Mohammed Hussain Bhanpurwala, Akhtar Abbas Ali, and Sadar Mohammed Hussain.
Asaduddin Owaisi, Chief of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) and Lok Sabha MP from Hyderabad labelled the incident as a "terror attack" targeting Muslims. Owaisi questioned whether the accused constable might have political aspirations and raised concerns about potential support for him in the future.
The accused has been sent for a "mental health assessment," and Railway Ministry sources are conducting a comprehensive evaluation of the RPF personnel's mental and psychological health.
The court has granted police custody of Singh until August 11, as investigations continue into the horrific incident that has left a community in shock and ignited a debate over hate speech and political responsibility.
