According to Railway Police Control here, the incident occurred between 10.30 pm on October 15 and 1 am on October 16 when the train was somewhere between Godhra and Chandeleo railway station.

The police said that Rajesh was travelling with his family members, including his elder brother Dinesh Rajvir Sharma. In the FIR Dinesh said the whole family was asleep when the gruesome incident took place. ``We woke up at Rajesh's cries after he was assualted,'' Dinesh told the police.

``We pulled the emergency chain immediately, but we could not overpower the three, wielding knives. They threatened us and jumped from the train when it slowed down,'' he said. The police said that a young girl was said to accompany the assailants.

The train was reversed to Godhra Railway Station after the incident and the body was handed over to the Government Railway Police there, the police said. PI V B Patel is investigating.