Condition of woman pushed off moving train improves, accused confesses to crime

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: There is an improvement in the health condition of the woman, who was pushed off a running train in Varkala by a drunk man. The woman had sustained serious injuries. She has been removed from the ventilator. However, her health condition has not completely recovered. Police and railway sources said the accused, Suresh Kumar of Panachamood, had no previous acquaintance of Sreekutty (19) of Peyad in Thiruvananthapuram.

Suresh Kumar boarded the Kerala Express from Kottayam. The injured Sreekutty and her friend boarded from Aluva. The accused is a painter. However, he boarded the train in an inebriated condition. Archana, the victim’s friend said he was misbehaving from the time he got into the train.

When the train started to depart from Varkala stop at 8.30 pm last night, Sreekutty and her friend, who were in the general compartment, went to the toilet. The woman made Sreekutty stand near the door and entered the toilet. When she came out, the accused, without any provocation, kicked Sreekutty from behind.

The accused turned towards the woman, who created a ruckus and tried to grab her hand and push her out, but she managed to claw back to safety. When other passengers came, the accused fled. The passengers informed the police. The police believe the reason for the attack may have been because he did not like Sreekutty standing near the door. The accused has confessed to the crime. Suresh Kumar said that he kicked her from behind when she did not move away from the door.

The police will record more statements to find out the reason for the attack. It is reported that the accused will be produced in the court by this afternoon. It will also be investigated whether he has committed similar attacks before. It is reported that the passengers subdued the accused and handed him over to the railway police when the train reached Kochuveli.

An investigation by the police found the woman lying unconscious in the bushes near the Ayanthi bridge. She was shifted to MEMU moving towards Kollam and taken to Sree Narayana Medical Mission Hospital in Varkala and later to the Thiruvananthapuram Medical College. The accused Suresh Kumar initially said that it was not him but a Bengali who kicked her from behind.