Kerala woman who was raped on railway tracks, dies in hospital

Mangalore Today News Network

Thrissur, Feb 7:  A woman who was allegedly pushed down from a running train and raped last week in Kerala died in a hospital in Thrissur on Sunday.

The 23-year-old woman, who was the lone passenger in the compartment reserved for ladies, was pushed out of the train after she resisted a robbery attempt.

The attacker jumped out of the train and raped her on the railway tracks. He then fled with her bag and mobile phone.

According to police, the woman was found lying unconscious with serious head injuries on the tracks between Vallathol Nagar and Shornur Railway station at 9.30 pm on February 1.

The woman who worked in a private firm in Kochi, was returning home in connection with a marriage proposal when she was raped.

Govindaswamy, the man who allegedly pushed her down from the women’s compartment of Ernakulam-Shonur passenger train, was arrested by the Police. He belongs to the neighbouring state of Tamil Nadu.

Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee announced an ex-gratia of Rs. three lakh for the victim’s family and expressed her profound grief over the incident. The incident has also prompted women’s groups in Kerala to step up their demand for increased security for women passengers in trains.