Foreigner dies during questioning at Surat station after train brawl; probe underway

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A foreign national died during questioning at an RPF post at Surat station after he was deboarded from a long-distance train following a fight with co-passengers, the Government Railway Police (GRP) said on Wednesday (August 19, 2026).

The GRP have launched a custodial death investigation to ascertain the circumstances leading to his death, said officials.

The unidentified man, believed to be in his 40s, was travelling to Delhi on the Golden Temple Express after boarding at Mumbai’s Borivali, said GRP.

On the night of August 17, after the train departed from Vapi station in Gujarat following a halt, he got into a verbal and physical altercation with co-passengers over standing near the gate, said Abhay Soni, Western Railway Superintendent of Police, Vadodara Division.

A co-passenger subsequently called the 139 railway helpline and reported that a foreign national had got into a brawl with passengers. “The foreign national also allegedly sprayed a fire extinguisher on co-passengers during the fight,” said the SP.

When the train reached Surat, Railway Protection Force (RPF) and GRP personnel intervened and deboarded the man. He was taken to the RPF post on the railway station platform for questioning.

During questioning, the man suddenly became unconscious and died, Mr. Soni said.

“There was an altercation with co-passengers. RPF and GRP responded in Surat, where he was deboarded and taken to the RPF post. While they were talking to him, he became unconscious and passed away,” the officer said.

Mr. Soni said the man’s identity and nationality was yet to be established. He could be an African national, but police were not confirming this at present as people with similar features could belong to other countries, said sources.

“No passport or identification documents were found on him,” the officer said.

Police said the man could be around 45 years old and nobody had come forward to identify him so far.

The railway police have initiated a custodial death investigation to ascertain the circumstances leading to his death, Mr. Soni said. "We have also sent a team of railway police to Mumbai for further investigation," he added.

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