Two men have been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder following a mass stabbing on a train in Cambridgeshire on Saturday evening.
The attack, which police say is not being treated as terror-related, prompted a major emergency response at Huntingdon railway station shortly before 19:45 GMT. The London North Eastern Railway (LNER) service from Doncaster to King’s Cross made an unscheduled stop after reports of multiple passengers being stabbed on board.
A “significant” number of police and paramedics attended the scene. Armed officers from Cambridgeshire Police boarded the train and detained two suspects within eight minutes of the first 999 call.
According to British Transport Police (BTP), ten people were taken to hospital, four of whom have since been discharged. Two victims remain in a life-threatening condition.
The arrested men — described by police as a 32-year-old black British national and a 35-year-old British national of Caribbean descent, both born in the UK — are being questioned at separate police stations.
Police: “A Shocking Incident”
Speaking outside Huntingdon railway station, Superintendent John Loveless of BTP described the attack as “shocking” and offered sympathy to the victims and their families.
“At 19:42 we were called to reports of a multiple stabbing on board the 18:25 LNER service from Doncaster to King’s Cross,” he said.
“Officers immediately attended Huntingdon station alongside paramedics, where armed police boarded the train and arrested two people within eight minutes of the first 999 call.
“We declared a major incident yesterday, and counter-terrorism policing initially supported our investigation. However, at this stage, there is nothing to suggest this is a terrorist incident.
“It would not be appropriate to speculate on the causes of the incident. The station remains closed for now, but we expect trains to be passing through from this morning. Passengers will see a high-visibility police presence at stations and on trains throughout the day to reassure the public.
Aftermath and Disruption
Victims were taken to Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge for treatment.
The train’s previous stop had been Peterborough, with its next scheduled stop before reaching London due to be Stevenage in Hertfordshire.
Rail operator LNER has warned that disruption will continue through Sunday. Passengers affected by cancellations or delays are being offered the option to defer travel until 4 November at no additional cost.
Replacement bus services are running from Peterborough and St Neots for passengers who would normally use Huntingdon station.
