Train ticket examiner remanded for two days, says he is innocent

KARNAL: The Government Railway Police (GRP) on Wednesday secured two days' remand of train ticket examiner Manoj Kumar, who reportedly assaulted Frank Wilfred, the French national, who was found unconscious on a platform at Karnal railway station, who had boarded Amritsar-bound Sachkhand Express.
Though the TTE pleaded innocence, claiming that he was not on coach number S4 and instead, was in coach number S6, at the time of the incident, the GRP managed to get his custody after its counsel told the court that belongings of Frank Wilfred had been recovered from Kumar's possession.
The counsel for GRP contended that Frank Wilfred's camera and other belongings had been recovered from Manoj Kumar, who was on duty in coach number S4, when he was assaulted and later abandoned on Karnal railway station in an unconscious state. The TTE's role had also come under scanner as he had failed to inform either the GRP or any of his senior officials about the incident.
The GRP had arrested Kumar on Tuesday from Ambala railway station and interrogated him for many hours before producing him in the court.
Haryana IG (railways), V Kamraj, said that police were trying to figure out the motive behind the assault. Now that the investigators have been grated two days' to question the accused TTE, they were hopeful of cracking the case soon, he said.
Lalit Kumar, investigating officer, said that police also suspected the role of fellow passengers, who might have attacked Frank Wilfred. Identify of these people would be established after interrogating the TTE, he said.
Meanwhile, Wilferd was reportedly battling for life at a Chandigarh hospital in a critical condition.