A businessman on board a Sealdah-bound Diamond Harbour local train early Sunday morning was critically injured when a group of unidentified assailants made a attack on him with sharp weapons.

The bizarre incident occurred at Netra railway station at about 5.45 in the morning.

Some passengers stopped the train at Deula station and informed police, who took the profusely bleeding passenger, identified as Masiar Jamadar, 38, to Diamond Harbour hospital.

He was later transferred to the SSKM hospital in Calcutta since his condition deteriorated, police said.

The GRP has begun a probe.

One person has been detained for his suspected involvement in the incident.

Eyewitnesses claimed that Jamadar boarded the train at Netra rail station.

“Within a few seconds, after the train left the Netra station, some armed miscreants who also boarded the train from the same station, attacked him with sharp weapons, in the deserted compartment. He cried out for help but the handful of passengers present in the compartment were afraid. The goons escaped leaving the passenger in a pool of blood when the train reached Deula, the next station. Then we called police for help,” a passenger told media persons.

A GRP officer in Sealdah said it was not clear why the passenger was attacked.

“We have begun a probe. We have talked to some of the associates and family members of the victim, who indicated that the attack was carried out to settle some old rivalries related to business. However, we need to examine the motive once the person is doing better,” the officer said.