Nigerian man dies in Indian railway station detention

A Nigerian man has died after being held and questioned by Railway Protection Force officials at Surat Railway Station in India. The Government Railway Police has started looking into how he died.

The man's name has not been shared. He was on his way from Mumbai to Delhi on the Golden Temple Express when he was detained at Surat. This happened after he reportedly had a fight with other passengers, according to a report by The Indian Express on Thursday.

Police said the trouble began on August 17. A passenger called the railway helpline, 139, to say that the Nigerian man and another passenger were fighting near one of the train’s doors.

During the fight, the Nigerian allegedly sprayed a fire extinguisher at fellow passengers while the train was between Vapi and Surat stations. Police sources shared this information.

He was taken to the RPF office for questioning after being detained at Surat. Reports say he collapsed while there.

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

The Surat GRP has opened a case of “accidental death.” As of Wednesday evening, they were still waiting for the post-mortem report that was done on August 18.

Abhay Soni, the Western Railway Superintendent of Police, said early findings show that the man was a Nigerian national 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 mentioned that the man had been arrested twice in Mumbai for cocaine trafficking.

“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.

The police officer added that they are still looking into why the Nigerian was traveling to Delhi. They confirmed that he got on the train from Borivali in Mumbai.

Soni said the GRP has started an inquiry into the death. They will get statements from officers who detained him and those who were 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.

Deputy Superintendent of Police D H Gaur is leading the investigation into the death.