Indian authorities have opened an investigation into the death of a Nigerian national who reportedly collapsed while being questioned by Railway Protection Force (RPF) officials at Surat Railway Station.

The man, whose identity has not been made public, was travelling aboard the Golden Temple Express from Mumbai to Delhi when he was detained at Surat following an alleged altercation with other passengers, according to The Indian Express.

The incident reportedly began on August 17 after a passenger alerted the railway helpline, 139, about an alleged fight involving the Nigerian and another passenger near one of the train’s gates.

Police sources said the Nigerian allegedly used a fire extinguisher against fellow passengers while the train was travelling between Vapi and Surat.

Following the complaint, RPF personnel detained him when the train arrived at Surat and took him to the RPF office for questioning. He subsequently collapsed while in custody.

He was taken to the Surat Municipal Institute of Medical Education and Research Hospital, “where doctors declared him dead on arrival.”

The Government Railway Police (GRP) has registered a case of “accidental death” as authorities await the findings of a post-mortem examination conducted on August 18.

Western Railway Superintendent of Police, Abhay Soni, said preliminary investigations established that the deceased was a Nigerian national who had been living in Vasai, Mumbai.

“After primary investigations, it is believed that the deceased was a Nigerian national. When Surat RPF caught him, he didn’t have any of his identity cards with him,” Soni told The Indian Express.

Soni also said police records showed that the man had previously been arrested twice in Mumbai in connection with cocaine trafficking cases.

“He lived in Vasai (Mumbai) and was arrested twice by Malwani and Malad police in Mumbai for drug (cocaine) trafficking cases in 2018,” he said.

Authorities are also investigating why the man was travelling to Delhi. Police confirmed that he had boarded the Golden Temple Express at Borivali in Mumbai.

The circumstances surrounding his collapse and death remain under investigation, with police expected to question the officers who detained him and personnel who were present at the RPF office.

“We have started an inquiry. Statements from the police officials who caught him and those present at the police station will be taken. We are also waiting for the autopsy report,” he said.

The investigation is being led by Deputy Superintendent of Police D H Gaur.

The autopsy report is expected to provide further information on the cause of death and help investigators establish the circumstances leading to the Nigerian national’s collapse after his detention at the railway station. (The Guardian)

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