Cambridgeshire Police reported receiving a report at 19:39 GMT about a mass stabbing on board the train. A statement from the police stated that “armed officers arrived at the scene, and the train was stopped in the city of Huntingdon, where two men were arrested, and a number of people were taken to the hospital.”
Initial information indicates that ten people were transported to hospitals, nine of whom were in serious condition due to severe injuries. Police classified the incident as a “major incident” and confirmed the participation of the counter-terrorism unit in the investigations.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer expressed his deep concern about the horrific incident in a post on the “X” platform: “The horrific incident is deeply disturbing, our prayers are with all those affected, and we thank the emergency services for their rapid response.”
Starmer also appealed to local residents to abide by police instructions to ensure their safety.
For his part, Paul Bristow, Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, said that he had heard about “horrific scenes” inside the train. The “Times” newspaper quoted an eyewitness as saying that he saw “a man holding a large knife and blood everywhere, while passengers tried to hide inside the bathrooms.”
The witness indicated that a state of extreme panic gripped the passengers, as some trampled on others in an attempt to escape from the train carriages.
In a related context, the train operator “South Western Railways” announced the closure of all its lines, warning passengers of major disruptions to train traffic in eastern Britain and Scotland, while emergency teams continued to deal with the incident.
This tragic incident comes at a time when Britain and Wales are witnessing a continuous increase in stabbing crimes since 2011, despite the strict restrictions imposed on carrying bladed weapons.
Prime Minister Starmer had previously described the outbreak of stabbing crimes in the country as a “national crisis,” stressing that his government is working to reduce it.
