Daijiworld Media Network - London
London, Nov 2: Panic gripped passengers aboard a London-bound train on Saturday evening after a shocking knife attack left several people injured, prompting a massive emergency response at Huntingdon railway station in Cambridgeshire.
According to British Transport Police (BTP), multiple people were stabbed on the train travelling from Doncaster to London’s King’s Cross Station. “We are currently responding to an incident on a train to Huntingdon where multiple people have been stabbed. Two people have been arrested,” BTP confirmed on social media platform X.
Armed police units, backed by numerous patrol vehicles and ambulances, swiftly surrounded the station after the train was halted following distress calls. Witnesses described chaotic scenes inside the carriages, with passengers screaming and rushing for safety as a man allegedly wielded a large knife.
“There was blood everywhere. People were hiding in the washrooms; others were trampled as panic spread,” a witness told The Times. Another passenger told Sky News they saw a man with a knife being tasered and restrained by police once the train stopped.
The East of England Ambulance Service reported that “multiple patients” were transported to hospitals, though the exact number of casualties remains unclear. Some British media outlets have suggested that as many as ten people may have been injured.
The train and surrounding area were declared a crime scene, with police cordoning off the station late into the night. Passengers were seen wrapped in emergency blankets as they were escorted away by officers, an AFP photographer reported.
Train operator London North Eastern Railway (LNER) suspended all services through Huntingdon, warning travellers of “major disruption” across the network. The company urged passengers to avoid travel as emergency personnel continued operations at the scene.
Reacting to the disturbing incident, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the attack as “appalling” and “deeply concerning.” He extended his sympathies to those affected and thanked emergency responders for their swift action. “Anyone in the area should follow police advice,” he added.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood confirmed that two suspects had been taken into custody, while Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Mayor Paul Bristow called the incident “horrendous,” expressing his solidarity with victims and their families.
Knife crime has been a growing concern across England and Wales, with official figures showing a steady rise since 2011. Despite stringent firearm laws, authorities have branded knife-related violence a “national crisis.” The Labour government recently announced that nearly 60,000 knives have been seized or surrendered as part of efforts to halve such crimes within a decade.
Saturday’s attack comes just weeks after a stabbing spree at a Manchester synagogue, which left two people dead, including one due to misdirected police gunfire, and others injured—further intensifying national alarm over violent assaults involving knives.
As investigations continue, the identities of the arrested suspects remain undisclosed. Police have assured that additional patrols and safety measures will be enforced across major train routes in the coming days.