Foreign national dies in custody at Surat station after train brawl; GRP launches probe
A foreign national died while being questioned at the Railway Protection Force (RPF) post at Surat railway station after he was deboarded from the Golden Temple Express following a fight with co-passengers. The Government Railway Police (GRP) has registered a custodial death investigation, officials said on Wednesday (August 19, 2026).
The man, believed to be in his 40s, was travelling to Delhi on the Golden Temple Express. He had boarded the train at Borivali in Mumbai. On the night of August 17, after the train left Vapi station in Gujarat, he got involved in a verbal and physical altercation with co-passengers over standing near the gate, said Abhay Soni, Superintendent of Police, Western Railway, Vadodara Division.
The Golden Temple Express is a long-distance train that runs between Mumbai and Amritsar, with halts at major stations including Surat. The train was heading to Delhi when the incident was reported.
A co-passenger then called the 139 railway helpline and reported that a foreign national had got into a brawl. "The foreign national also allegedly sprayed a fire extinguisher on co-passengers during the fight," Mr. Soni said.
When the train reached Surat, RPF and GRP personnel intervened, deboarded the man, and took him to the RPF post on the platform for questioning. During the questioning, he 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.
The man's identity and nationality are yet to be established. Police sources said he could be an African national, but this was not being confirmed at present, as people with similar features could belong to other countries. No passport or identification documents were found on him, and no one has come forward to identify him so far. The police believe he could be around 45 years old.
A custodial death investigation is a legal process initiated when a person dies while in police custody. In India, such deaths must be reported to the nearest magistrate. Under Section 176 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, the magistrate is required to conduct an inquiry to determine the cause of death and examine whether any unlawful force was used by the police or other authorities. The magisterial inquiry is independent of the police investigation; the magistrate may record evidence, summon witnesses, and visit the place of death. The National Human Rights Commission has also issued guidelines that require videography of the post-mortem examination in custodial death cases, ensuring transparency in the procedure.
"We have also sent a team of railway police to Mumbai for further investigation," Mr. Soni said. The inquiry will look into the sequence of events at the RPF post, the nature of the questioning, and whether the man was provided timely medical assistance. The Railway Protection Force functions under the Ministry of Railways, while the Government Railway Police is a state law enforcement agency with jurisdiction over crimes on railway premises. Both forces were present when the man was taken into custody. The report of the magisterial inquiry is to be submitted to the state government.
