‘Custodial’ death at Surat station | Nigerian man was arrested twice in Mumbai for drug trafficking: GRP

A Nigerian national travelling on a train from Mumbai to Delhi died after being detained and questioned by railway authorities at Surat Railway Station in Gujarat. According to reports, a passenger had called a railway helpline on August 17 to report an altercation involving space near a train door between the Nigerian man and other passengers. Investigators alleged that during the confrontation, which occurred between Vapi and Surat, the man sprayed a fire extinguisher at passengers.

When the train reached Surat, the man was detained by the Railway Protection Force and taken to their office for questioning. While at the facility, he collapsed and was rushed to the Surat Municipal Institute of Medical Education and Research Hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival. Western Railway Superintendent of Police Abhay Soni stated that the deceased lived in Vasai, Mumbai, and had previously been arrested twice in 2018 in Mumbai for alleged drug trafficking.

The Surat Government Railway Police registered a case of accidental death and initiated an inquiry into the circumstances of the incident. A postmortem examination was conducted, and authorities were awaiting the report while statements were being gathered from the officers involved in the detention and those present at the RPF office.

Not yet reported: The articles do not mention the final findings of the postmortem report or the final conclusions of the custodial death inquiry.