Southern Railway offers Rs 50,000 ex-gratia to pregnant woman assaulted on train

VELLORE: Southern Railway has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 50,000 with a cash award to the pregnant woman who was molested and pushed from a speeding train by a youth when she fought back and resisted sexual assault near Jolarpet in Tirupattur district on Thursday morning.
In a release, Southern Railway Chief Public Relations Officer M Senthamil Selvan said senior officials from Southern Railway will be visiting the injured passenger.He said the ‘unfortunate incident’ occurred around 10.25 am on February 6 on the Coimbatore-Tirupati Intercity Express between Kavanur and Virinjipuram stations. Govt railway police (GRP) investigations found that a drunk intruder boarded the moving train at the last minute at Jolarpet station and entered the ladies' compartment.
“The lady passenger, who was four months pregnant and travelling alone, was assaulted by the intruder and molested, but she resisted bravely, in reaction to which he reportedly pushed her off the moving train,” said Selvan. The local people, on finding her with injuries near the track, rushed her to the nearest govt hospital.
The Vellore hospital medical officer ascertained that she was out of danger. The woman was shifted to the emergency ward. The gynaecologist said her foetus was safe. Presently, she is undergoing treatment at the orthopaedic ward, and her condition is stable, said Selvan.
The accused was identified using CCTV footage at the station premises and arrested within 12 hours of the incident. Stating that Southern Railway gives utmost importance to the safety and security of women passengers, Senthil said CCTV cameras were already installed at all major stations. CCTVs will be installed even at the wayside/small stations by April this year.
He said the integrated railway helpline number 139 is operational all over India to address issues on a real-time basis. The officers and staff attend to women passengers at important platforms when they receive any distress call or complaints.