Kerala Train Fire Attack: Shahrukh Saifi highly radicalized; used to watch videos of Zakir Naik | Kozhikode News

KOZHIKODE: Shahrukh Saifi (27) — the Delhi-native accused in the Kozhikode train arson case — is a highly radicalized person who has been constantly watching videos of controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik and others, according to additional director general of police (ADGP) MR Ajith Kumar, who is heading the ongoing Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into the incident.

Ajith Kumar said that the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act was slapped on the accused on Sunday after the SIT was able to collect the scientific, documentary and oral evidence to substantiate invoking of Section 16 (Punishment for terrorist act) of the Act in cooperation with central agencies and other state agencies.

“From the investigation carried out so far, we have understood that he is highly radicalized. He has been constantly watching such radicalized videos of those of Zakir Naik, and others,” Ajith Kumar said.

Kumar said that the accused Saifi came to the state with the intention and planning for committing such an action.
The ADGP said that the SIT has been able to track the entire trail of Saifi from the time he left Delhi for Kerala and his journey to the crime spot and then to Kannur and till he was arrested from Ratnagiri and also have been able to collect evidences pertaining to that.
Asked if Saifi had received help from others for the attack, the SIT head said that the investigation is just two-week old, which was a short period, and added that it would require more time to probe into such aspects.
“We have been able to collect and document all information about the accused and also collect all evidence pertaining to the crime. The other aspects are currently under investigation,” he said.
Saifi, a resident of Shaheen Bagh in Delhi who worked as a carpenter in Noida, had splashed petrol on several passengers on D1 compartment of Alappuzha-Kannur Express on April 2.