Mira Road man arrested at Panvel for murdering passenger on Nalasopara-bound train
The Mumbai Government Railway Police have arrested a Mira Road resident, Roshan Suvarna, for allegedly murdering a co-passenger, Mayank Lohar, on a Nalasopara-bound fast local train late Tuesday night. The incident reportedly followed a dispute over keeping a carriage door closed.
According to the family of the accused, Suvarna returned to his residence in Mira Road late on Tuesday night in an inebriated state. His brother, Prashant, stated that Suvarna was crying when he arrived, but the family did not question him immediately due to his condition. The next morning, Suvarna confessed to his family about the altercation and the subsequent crime.
Suvarna, who runs a small business making barcodes, had boarded the non-AC fast local train after failing to find a taxi to Mira Road after work. His brother noted that Suvarna typically preferred to travel in air-conditioned local trains because they are less crowded.
A close friend of the accused revealed that Suvarna had stood near the door of the first-class compartment because he wanted to get wet in the rain. An argument broke out with other passengers over keeping the door shut. The friend claimed that several passengers, reportedly including Lohar, manhandled Suvarna, causing him to sustain an injury near his eye.
Following his confession on Wednesday morning, Suvarna told his family he was leaving for their hometown in Mangaluru for a few days and left the house.
Government Railway Police tracked down Suvarna's residence in Mira Road later on Wednesday. Officers initially picked up Suvarna's father for questioning and later questioned his mother. After his family contacted him by phone to inform him of the police investigation, Suvarna stated he would return to surrender.
Police arrested Suvarna at Panvel while he was on his way. His family, who previously lived in Santacruz, expressed concern over an ongoing social media trial that they claim is impacting their lives and employment, though they stated they do not condone the offence.
