Indian authorities have opened an investigation into the death of a Nigerian national who reportedly collapsed while being questioned by officials of the Railway Protection Force (RPF) at Surat Railway Station in Gujarat.
According to The Guardian Nigeria, the deceased, whose identity has not been disclosed, was travelling aboard the Golden Temple Express from Mumbai to Delhi when he was detained following an alleged altercation with other passengers.
The Indian Express, cited by The Guardian Nigeria, reported that the incident began on August 17 after a passenger alerted the railway helpline about an alleged confrontation involving the Nigerian and another passenger near one of the train’s doors.
Police alleged that the man used a fire extinguisher against fellow passengers while the train was travelling between Vapi and Surat.
Upon the train’s arrival at Surat, RPF officers detained him and took him to their office for questioning, where he later collapsed.
He was subsequently rushed to the Surat Municipal Institute of Medical Education and Research (SMIMER) Hospital, where doctors confirmed him dead on arrival.
The Government Railway Police (GRP) has registered the matter as an accidental death while awaiting the outcome of a post-mortem examination conducted on August 18.
According to The Guardian Nigeria, the investigation is being led by Deputy Superintendent of Police D. H. Gaur, who is expected to obtain statements from the RPF officers involved and other personnel present during the incident.
Western Railway Superintendent of Police Abhay Soni said preliminary investigations confirmed that the deceased was a Nigerian national residing in Vasai, Mumbai, but that he had no identification documents on him at the time of his detention.
Soni further stated that police records indicated the man had previously been arrested in 2018 by the Malwani and Malad police in Mumbai over alleged cocaine trafficking offences.
Authorities are also investigating the purpose of his journey to Delhi and the events that preceded his collapse.
Officials said the findings of the autopsy would play a crucial role in determining the cause of death and establishing the circumstances surrounding the incident.
At the time of filing this report, Indian authorities had not announced any findings regarding the cause of death, and investigations remain ongoing.
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