The injured man was treated by emergency services when the train stopped at Beckenham Junction station
A teenager has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after a man was stabbed on a train in front of horrified passengers in south-east London.
The man suffered life-threatening injuries as the train travelled between Shortlands and Beckenham towards London Victoria on Wednesday afternoon.
The victim, in his 20s, is in hospital in a critical but stable condition, British Transport Police (BTP) said.
The arrested male is 19 years old.
Supt Darren Malpas said: “We understand the concerns of the public following this incident and our detectives have been working tirelessly to investigate.
Knife recovered
“I hope this arrest will bring some reassurance to those on the rail network.”
He said “high-visibility patrols” would continue in the area and on the rail network, “as a visible reassurance to the travelling public”.
BTP said it had also recovered a knife.
The force was first called to reports of two men seen in an altercation while entering a train at Shortlands station just before 16:00 GMT on Wednesday.
In footage of the incident, passengers in the carriage were heard gasping and shouting at a man, wearing a hooded jacket and a facemask, to stop.
An image from a video on social media shows a man holding a blade (which has been blurred by the BBC)
In the hours after the incident, a local school initiated its “lockdown procedure”, telling parents in an email it had brought all children at its after-school club inside as a precaution.
BTP said detectives continued to appeal for witnesses to come forward.
It urged anyone with information on the incident to contact police or call Crimestoppers anonymously.
William Turner is a seasoned U.K. correspondent with a deep understanding of domestic affairs. With a passion for British politics and culture, he provides insightful analysis and comprehensive coverage of events within the United Kingdom.
