Man tries to sexually assault pregnant woman, pushes her from moving train in 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, police said.

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 has been 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.

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

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.

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. (PTI)