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Train evacuated as passenger flips out during ticket check

A regional train was evacuated in Leipzig on Wednesday after a passenger became aggressive during a ticket inspection.

Train evacuated as passenger flips out during ticket check
Police at the scene in Leipzig. Photo: DPA

Eye witnesses also told Spiegel that the man threatened to blow himself up on the intercity service to Berlin.

Police have not commented on what the man said, however they say that there is no suspicion of a connection to terrorism.

Employees of Deutsche Bahn (German Rail) evacuated the train on Wednesday afternoon and locked the man in a carriage.

Police later arrested the man whom they describe as being 41 years of age. The man gave himself up without a struggle, putting his hands up against a window to signal his willingness to cooperate.

Sniffer dogs were sent to the scene to check for explosives, but no traces were found.

A police spokesperson said that the man had psychiatric problems.

“His actions can be explained by his mental situation,” the spokesperson stated.

There were delays at Leipzig central station throughout the afternoon due to the train stopping for hours on the tracks.

Deutsche Bahn has recently announced plans to train conductors in martial arts and arm them with pepper spray after a sharp rise in attacks against employees over the past 12 months.