A Nigerian national has died after being detained and questioned by Railway Protection Force (RPF) officials at Surat Railway Station in India, according to The Indian Express.
The man was traveling from Mumbai to Delhi on the Golden Temple Express when he was detained at Surat following an alleged altercation with fellow passengers. Police said a passenger contacted the railway helpline on August 17 to report that the Nigerian man and another passenger were fighting near one of the train's gates. The Nigerian was also accused of spraying a fire extinguisher at co-passengers while the train was traveling between Vapi and Surat stations.
Detention and Collapse at RPF Office
He was subsequently detained and taken to the RPF office for questioning, where police said he reportedly collapsed. He was rushed to the Surat Municipal Institute of Medical Education and Research Hospital, where doctors declared him dead on arrival.
The Surat Government Railway Police has registered a case of accidental death while awaiting the outcome of a post-mortem examination conducted on August 18. Western Railway Superintendent of Police, Abhay Soni, said preliminary investigations indicated that the deceased was a Nigerian national who lived in Vasai, Mumbai.
Previous Arrests in Mumbai
Soni also claimed that the man had previously been arrested twice in Mumbai in connection with alleged cocaine trafficking cases in 2018. Police said the circumstances surrounding his death remain under investigation, with statements expected from the officers involved in his detention and those present at the RPF office.
