Woman injured after pushed off train near Varkala

A woman sustained critical injuries after being allegedly pushed off a moving train near Varkala on Saturday.

The incident occurred near the Ayanthi overbridge around 8.30 p.m. when the woman was travelling on the Kerala Express bound for Thiruvananthapuram.

According to official sources, one man, identified as Suresh Kumar, hailing from Panachamoodu in Thiruvananthapuram, has been taken into custody by the police in connection with the incident. It is suspected that the accused was under the influence of alcohol at the time. He was detained by the other passengers and handed over to the Railway Protection Force at the Kochuveli railway station.

Preliminary findings indicated that the accused could have entered the ladies’ compartment and pushed the woman onto the tracks, shortly after the train passed the Varkala railway station. However, the police are yet to ascertain such findings and the circumstances that led to the incident.

A passing MEMU train was stopped to rescue her, following which she was transported to the Varkala railway station, and later to a private hospital. Having sustained serious injuries, she was later referred to the Thiruvananthapuram Government Medical College Hospital.