Tamil Nadu: Man tries to sexually assault pregnant woman, pushes her from moving train

The victim, a native of Chittoor in Andhra Pradesh, was travelling alone in the women's compartment when the history-sheeter made the bid  

Vellore (Tamil Nadu): A 31-year-old man was arrested allegedly for attempting to sexually assault a four-month-pregnant woman in a moving train and pushing her out of the compartment near Katpadi in the district, police said on Friday.

The 36-year-old victim, a native of Chittoor in Andhra Pradesh, was travelling alone in the women’s compartment on Thursday night when the man, said to be a history sheeter, boarded the train at Jolarpet railway station, and attempted to sexually assault her, the police said.

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Resisting his attempt, she ran towards the restroom in a bid to lock herself but he pursued and pushed her out of the train, a police official said. She sustained fractures on her hand and leg. Passers-by who noticed her fall from the train admitted her to the Government Medical College Hospital in Vellore.

Police said Hemraj, from K V Kuppam, who was arrested based on CCTV footage, was recently let out on bail in connection with the murder of a woman in Chennai. He was booked under the Goondas Act in 2022, the police official added.

The woman was living with her husband, a tailor, and son, in Tamil Nadu’s Tirupur for several years. She had decided to go to her mother’s home in Chittoor as she was pregnant and accordingly boarded the Coimbatore-Tirupati Intercity Express alone on Thursday night.

Terming it as ‘unfortunate,’ the Southern Railway said the incident occurred at around 10.25 pm on February 6. An investigation by the Government Railway Police (GRP) revealed that a drunk intruder boarded the moving train at the last minute at Jolarpet station and entered the ladies’ compartment, a statement from the Southern Railway here said.

“The lady passenger was assaulted by the intruder and molested but she resisted bravely in reaction to which he reportedly pushed her off the moving train. The victim fell between Kavanur and Virinjipuram station, where locals rushed her to the nearest government hospital in Vellore,” the release said.

The medical officer of Vellore Hospital stated that she was out of danger. An examination by gynaecologists revealed that the foetus was safe. “Presently, she is undergoing treatment at the Orthopaedic Department and her condition is stable,” Chief Public Relations Officer M Senthamil Selvan said in the release.

The suspect was identified with CCTV footage at Jolarpet station and the GRP and RPF arrested him within 12 hours of the incident. The Railway administration has granted an exgratia of Rs 50,000 to the lady passenger, he said.

Expressing ‘shock’ over the incident, AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami demanded stringent action on ‘such perverts and devious characters.’

“The news that an attempt to sexually assault a pregnant woman and push her off a moving train when she tried to scream is shocking. This is the height of shame that women in Tamil Nadu cannot walk safely on the roads, girls cannot go to schools, colleges, or workplaces; and now cannot even travel safely by train,” Palaniswami said.

Tagging Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin, he said in a post on the social media platform ‘X’, that such atrocities showed the DMK government’s failure to pay even the slightest attention to the safety of women. His ally and DMDK general secretary Premalatha Vijayakanth sought the death penalty to be imposed on those involved in sexual crimes against women.

Expressing in a similar vein, PMK founder Dr S Ramadoss said the perpetrators of crimes against women should be severely punished without delay. They should not be granted bail. Steps should also be taken to strengthen police security at bus stands and trains, he said calling for effective steps to ensure women’s safety in Tamil Nadu.

In a statement here, Ramadoss attributed the reasons for the rise in crimes to the criminals becoming bold enough to get away with any offences and unhindered sale of ganja. BJP state chief K Annamalai said the news on the ‘heartbreaking incidents’ in Tamil Nadu showed that the society was becoming unsafe and that not a day goes by without sexual crimes against women.

“Where is Tamil Nadu heading?… Aren’t you bothered by the fact that women, from adults to small children, are not safe in Tamil Nadu, Chief Minister @mkstalin?” Annamalai said in a post on ‘X’.

Ruling DMK’s ally and TNCC chief K Selvaperunthagai sought strict action on the offenders. Police armed with weapons should be deployed in train compartments where women travel, he suggested.