‘Asked for a seat in train, got abused in return’:Differently-abled accused reveals motive behind attacking electricity department employee; conducted week-long recce

In Satna, a 60-year-old electrician Ramnaresh Varman was shot in the chest near the Prem Nagar underbridge under the City Kotwali police station area on Thursday evening. Despite being seriously injured, Varman confronted the attacker, leading to a scuffle during which the assailant’s artificial leg came off. Taking advantage of the chaos, the accused managed to flee the spot by hopping on one leg. Police later arrested the accused after several hours of search. The investigation revealed that the attack was carried out to avenge an alleged insult during a train journey one and a half months ago. The accused, a differently-abled man with multiple criminal cases, had been planning the attack for nearly two weeks and had closely tracked the victim’s daily routine. How the attack unfolded? According to police and the victim’s statement, the incident occurred around 6 pm on Thursday. Ramnaresh Varman, a peon in the Electrical Safety Department, had finished his duty and was on his way to Satna railway station to return home to Naugawa in Maihar district, where he commutes daily from. As Varman reached near the Prem Nagar underbridge, a man approaching from the direction of the railway station crossed him and suddenly fired a shot from a pistol at close range. The bullet hit Varman in the left side of his chest. Despite the injury, Varman gathered courage and grabbed the attacker by the throat. A scuffle followed, during which the attacker dragged him for some distance. During the struggle, the accused fell on the stairs near the underbridge, injuring his lips. His artificial leg came off in the chaos. Some bystanders gathered at the spot and reportedly told Varman that the attacker was disabled and would not be able to escape far, advising him to first inform the police. Victim reaches police station with evidence Displaying remarkable presence of mind, Ramnaresh Varman picked up the pistol and the attacker’s prosthetic leg and made his way to the City Kotwali police station despite his injuries. Police personnel were shocked on seeing his condition. The weapon and artificial leg were immediately taken into custody, and Varman was rushed to the district hospital for treatment. Doctors began treatment soon after, and his condition was stabilised. CCTV footage leads police to accused Following the incident, multiple police teams were formed to trace the accused. CCTV footage from the Smart City command center was examined to track his movements. The footage showed the accused limping down from the underbridge towards the main road. However, it was initially unclear whether he headed towards Dhawari or another locality. A key clue emerged from the artificial leg recovered at the scene, which had the name ‘Rajendra’ written on it. Based on this, police questioned several differently-abled persons in areas including Dhawari, Rajendra Nagar and nearby localities. Further CCTV footage revealed that the accused boarded an auto-rickshaw from Semariya Chowk. Acting on inputs from informants, police learned that a physically disabled man named Rajendra lived in Sangram Colony. A raid was conducted at his house on Friday afternoon, where the accused was found and arrested. Accused identified as Rajendra Soni The arrested accused was identified as Rajendra Soni, son of Triveni Soni, a resident of Sangram Colony. During interrogation, he confessed to shooting Ramnaresh Varman and cited revenge as the motive behind the crime. Rajendra told police that about one and a half months ago, he was travelling from Katni to Satna in a general compartment. Ramnaresh Varman was also on the same train and was seated. Rajendra claimed he asked Varman for a seat, following which Varman pushed him and abused him, causing him to fall and sustain injuries. He said that although he did not react at the time, the incident left him deeply humiliated and angry. He overheard during the journey that Varman commuted daily between Maihar and Satna. From that day, he decided to take revenge. Two weeks of planning According to the accused, he began coming to Satna railway station regularly to identify Varman. One day, he spotted Varman getting off a train arriving from Maihar and followed him along the railway tracks, through the Prem Nagar underbridge, to the electricity department office. Rajendra spent several days observing Varman’s movements, noting the time he arrived at work and the train he took back home in the evening. He continued this reconnaissance for about a week to confirm the routine. On Thursday morning, he again came to the station to check whether Varman had arrived. In the evening, he left his house around 5 pm with a country-made pistol and waited near the underbridge. When Varman approached the station to catch his return train, Rajendra fired at him. Background of the accused Police investigation revealed that Rajendra Soni is unmarried and lives with his elderly mother. His father died a few years ago. He previously earned his livelihood by driving an e-rickshaw but had stopped working some time ago. In 2022, Rajendra lost one of his legs after falling from a train. He later got an artificial leg made in Rajasthan for around ₹7,000. Police stated that at least eight criminal cases are registered against him. After losing his leg, Rajendra allegedly procured a country-made pistol, which he used in the attack on Ramnaresh Varman. The weapon has been seized by the police. Police action continues Police officials said the accused has been taken into custody and further investigation is underway. They are verifying his criminal history and probing how he obtained the firearm. Meanwhile, the condition of Ramnaresh Varman is being monitored at the district hospital.