Man arrested for sexually harassing woman at Ernakulam North railway station

Kochi: A 30-year-old man who allegedly sexually harassed a woman while she was boarding a train at Ernakulam North railway station was arrested by the Government Railway Police. However, the incident and the arrest, which took place on Saturday, came to light only on Monday after a video recorded by the woman went viral on social media over the past two days. 

The accused has been identified as Sajeev S (30) of Mannamkonam, Kattakada. The incident took place on Saturday afternoon when the woman was attempting to board the Kanyakumari-Pune Express. Sajeev, who was getting off the train at the time, allegedly touched her inappropriately. The woman immediately caught his hand and confronted him, raising an alarm as he ran from the spot.

She later posted a video online showing the man fleeing the platform, and the clip quickly spread across social media, prompting widespread outrage. Railway Police, however, clarified that they had already arrested Sajeev on Saturday itself based on the woman’s complaint.

He has been charged under Section 74 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (assault or use of criminal force with intent to outrage a woman’s modesty) and Section 75(1)(i) (physical contact and advances involving unwelcome and explicit sexual overtures). Sajeev was produced before a court and remanded to judicial custody. Further investigation is underway.

This incident comes weeks after a 19-year-old girl, Sreekutty from Palode, was critically injured after being pushed out of a moving train near Varkala. The accused, Suresh Kumar, a man in his forties from Vellarada, has been arrested. He had also allegedly attempted to push another passenger, Archana, off the Kerala Express as it was nearing Ayanthi, about 1.5 km from Varkala railway station. “Suresh suddenly pushed the girl out of the general compartment without any provocation. He also tried to push her friend, but she fell back inside the coach and escaped serious injury,” Varkala MLA V Joy told Onmanorama. Sreekutty sustained head and abdominal injuries in the attack and is under treatment.