A 45-year-old African national died under mysterious circumstances after an altercation with fellow passengers aboard the Golden Temple Express while travelling from Mumbai to Delhi. The man was removed from the train at Surat along with two other passengers following a disturbance inside a general coach. He later collapsed during questioning at the Railway Protection Force (RPF) post and was declared dead at SMIMER Hospital.
Police have registered an accidental death case. However, the exact cause of death remains unknown, with forensic, FSL and histopathology reports awaited.
Altercation Breaks Out Inside Train
The incident began when the Golden Temple Express, which had left Bandra Terminus and was heading towards Delhi, was passing through Gujarat.
According to preliminary information, the RPF control room received an alert that a foreign national was creating a disturbance in the front general coach. RPF personnel on patrol immediately reached the compartment to assess the situation.
The man was reportedly arguing with other passengers and appeared highly agitated. RPF personnel tried to calm him down and communicate with him in English, but the situation did not settle.
Instead, the argument allegedly turned physical.
Fire Extinguisher Used During the Dispute
According to the information gathered by the authorities, the situation became more serious when the man allegedly picked up a fire extinguisher installed inside the train and sprayed it towards passengers.
The sudden incident caused panic among people inside the coach. Two passengers reportedly confronted and assaulted the foreign national during the confrontation.
As the situation became difficult to control, the train’s control room at Surat was informed. Both Government Railway Police (GRP) and RPF personnel were mobilised to handle the situation when the train reached Surat.
15–20 Railway Personnel Enter Coach at Surat
When the Golden Temple Express reached Surat railway station late at night, around 15 to 20 GRP and RPF personnel entered the coach.
The railway personnel eventually brought the situation under control. The foreign national and two other passengers who were allegedly involved in the altercation were removed from the train and taken to the Surat RPF post for questioning.
At this stage, the incident took an unexpected and serious turn.
Foreign National Suddenly Collapses
During preliminary questioning at the RPF post, the foreign national suddenly became unconscious and collapsed.
RPF officials immediately sought medical assistance. A railway hospital doctor examined him, following which he was shifted to SMIMER Hospital in a 108 ambulance.
Despite the medical team’s efforts, doctors at SMIMER Hospital declared him dead.
D.H. Gaur, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Surat Railway, said the initial information suggested that the dispute had started among passengers in the general compartment over standing near the train door. He said RPF and GRP personnel reached the station after receiving information about the quarrel and took three passengers involved in the dispute off the train.
According to him, the unidentified foreign national suddenly became unconscious during questioning and was immediately shifted to SMIMER Hospital, where doctors declared him dead.
Identity of the Deceased Yet to Be Confirmed
The identity of the deceased remains another major question in the investigation.
Police said the man appeared to be an African national and was travelling from Mumbai towards Delhi. However, no passport, visa, identity card or purse was found on his body.
Investigators have recovered his mobile phone. Police are now examining the information stored on the device in an attempt to establish his identity, nationality, contacts and travel details.
The phone may also help investigators understand where the man had been staying, whom he had been in contact with and where he was planning to travel.
Post-Mortem Finds No Serious External Injuries
The mystery surrounding the death deepened after the post-mortem examination did not reveal any serious external injuries.
Dr Sandeep Raloti of the Forensic Medicine Department at SMIMER said the body was sent to the forensic department through Surat Railway Police. A panel of forensic experts then conducted the post-mortem examination.
Blood and urine samples were collected and sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL). These tests will help determine whether the man had consumed alcohol, drugs, intoxicants or any other substance before the incident.
Samples were also preserved and sent to the Histopathology Department. These examinations will help determine whether he had an underlying medical condition, including a possible heart or other organ-related problem.
Dr Raloti said that no serious injuries were found during the post-mortem examination. Therefore, the exact cause of death could not be established at this stage.
Several Questions Remain Unanswered
The investigation is now focusing on what happened inside the train and what caused the man’s sudden collapse at the RPF post.
Police are trying to determine exactly how the argument began, what happened during the physical confrontation and whether the altercation had any connection with his death.
Investigators are also looking into whether the man had consumed alcohol, drugs or another intoxicating substance. At the same time, doctors are checking whether an undiagnosed medical condition could have caused his sudden collapse.
Police are recording statements and complaints from passengers who were allegedly injured during the altercation. The mobile phone recovered from the deceased is also being examined for further clues.
FSL and Medical Reports Will Be Crucial
For now, police have registered an accidental death case and are continuing their investigation.
The final conclusion is expected to depend heavily on the FSL results, toxicology tests, histopathology findings and the final post-mortem opinion.
Until these reports are received, authorities have not established whether the death was connected to the physical altercation, a substance consumed by the man, an underlying medical condition or another cause.
The case therefore remains surrounded by several unanswered questions. Police are working simultaneously to identify the deceased and reconstruct his movements before he boarded the Golden Temple Express, while forensic experts work to establish what caused his sudden death.
Further clarity is expected once the forensic and medical reports are received.
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