Railway station chiefs removed after fatal stabbing incident onboard train

The director and deputy director of the Hengshan Railway Station, as well as a security officer, were removed from their posts due to inadequate station security measures after a man stabbed a passenger to death on a train in May, according to a statement released by the China Railway Guangzhou Group Sunday evening.

The man, surnamed He, bypassed the station security check at Hengshan Station in central China's Hunan Province and boarded the K435 train on the evening of May 4, concealing a switchblade knife, with a blade measuring 10.5 centimeters long, behind his belt buckle.

He then fatally stabbed a 27-year-old passenger on the train with the knife at 9:50pm and was later arrested by police.

According to the regulations of the railway department, any cutting tool with a blade longer than 6 centimeters is prohibited from being carried on board and needs to be checked in as luggage.

The China Railway Guangzhou Group has taken disciplinary action against those responsible for the security check failure at Hengshan Station. At the same time, they said they would strengthen the training and management of security personnel and improve security check measures at stations to prevent similar incidents and ensure the safety of passengers and their property.

The perpetrator He, 35 from Chongqing, has been diagnosed with a mental illness and is not held criminally responsible. The Hengyang Railway Transportation Court in Hunan Province has decided to subject him to compulsory medical treatment in order to prevent further risk to the public, as reported by The Paper on Sunday.