A 25-year-old woman was allegedly sexually harassed by a fellow passenger aboard the Malabar Express on Tuesday, November 10, and then allegedly assaulted at Pettah railway station in Thiruvananthapuram when she threatened to report him to the police, according to reports on Wednesday, November 11. The Railway Police have arrested the accused, identified as Vijesh, 39, following the woman's complaint.

Source: ANI via Saptashwa TV

The woman was travelling on her morning commute from Chirayinkeezhu to Thiruvananthapuram when Vijesh allegedly misbehaved with her and repeatedly touched her inappropriately during the journey, the reports said. The Hindu also reported a man arrested for allegedly assaulting a woman on a train in Thiruvananthapuram, in its coverage summarised in the district brief.

Source: The Hindu via CivicLens Thiruvananthapuram brief

When the woman got down at Pettah railway station, the accused allegedly approached her again, blocked her way and made obscene gestures and abusive remarks. When she warned him that she would report the incident to the police, he allegedly punched her in the face, causing her to fall unconscious on the platform, according to the reports. All of these are allegations; the case is under investigation.

The woman was taken to Thiruvananthapuram General Hospital for treatment. Police have registered a case under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Reports also state that an earlier assault case had been registered against the accused at Attingal.

The incident has renewed questions about women's safety on trains in Kerala. The woman is an adult and has not been named in the reports; no identifying details of her are being published.