A 36-year-old Turkish conductor, Serkan C, died in hospital after being assaulted by a fare evader on a train in western Germany, national media reported Wednesday. He had been fighting for his life since Monday evening’s incident.
According to German reports, Serkan C was checking tickets on a train departing from the city of Landstuhl on Feb. 2 when he was attacked by a 26-year-old Greek national from a group of four passengers allegedly traveling without valid tickets. The assailant struck the conductor with such force that he collapsed to the floor, prompting police officers, who arrived 10 minutes later, to perform immediate resuscitation before emergency teams took over.
The attacker was handcuffed and detained at the scene, while Serkan C – a father of two – was rushed to the hospital, where he later died. Police said the suspect, a Greek citizen without residence in Germany, is being investigated on suspicion of intentional homicide.
German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt expressed condolences to Serkan C’s family, saying he was “deeply shaken” by the fatal assault. He warned that rising violence against public sector employees and railway staff demands decisive action, calling for significantly stronger legal protections and tougher minimum sentences for such attacks.
Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder also urged heightened security measures on trains and in stations, stressing that more must be done to safeguard employees and passengers.
