Woman pushed onto tracks at Naigaon after protesting molestation on local train loses left arm; accused held

A young woman was molested on a Borivali-Virar local train in Mira-Bhayandar and, when she protested, was pushed onto the tracks at Naigaon railway station, police said. The incident took place on November 4. Her left arm had to be amputated at the elbow after it came under the wheel of the train. Police have arrested the accused.

According to the woman's complaint, when the local reached Naigaon station, the accused touched her near the chest and misbehaved with her. She protested and hit him with a slipper, after which the two quarrelled. The complaint says the train was standing at the platform when the accused shoved her hard with both hands. She fell onto the track between two coaches. As she was trying to climb back onto the platform, the train started moving and her left arm came under the wheel.

After the incident, the accused took advantage of the crowd and fled. A case was registered at Bhayandar railway police station on November 6. It was initially registered under Sections 74, 117(2) and 352 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The family expressed anger that Section 109, attempt to murder, was not invoked. Office-bearers of the MNS met senior railway police officers and demanded that the necessary sections be added.

In her statement, the woman said, "I was travelling from Borivali to Naigaon. Naigaon station was about to arrive when that uncle was touching me inappropriately. I argued with him over this. Then I got off the train, but he kept on touching me badly. I asked him whether he had no mother or sister at home. Even then he did not stop. When I abused him, he abused me back. To keep him away, I hit him with my slipper, and he hit me with a slipper too and pushed me straight down."

She added, "I want justice. My whole life has been ruined. One of my arms has become completely useless. I cannot do anything with just one hand now. I also have a serious head injury and had 16 stitches in my head. Everyone please pray that I recover soon. That brute must get severe punishment."

Sachin Popale, an MNS office-bearer in Mira-Bhayandar, said the woman was molested on the train and quarrelled with the man over it. According to him, after they got off at Naigaon station, abuse was exchanged from both sides. He said the man tried to hit her with a slipper, and in the scuffle the woman was pushed, fell onto the track and lost the use of her arm.

Popale alleged that Bhayandar railway police tried to shield the accused and applied lesser sections. He said Section 307 and Section 109 of the new BNS law had not been added. He said the family approached the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena at Babu Patil's branch in Bhayandar, after which they met Senior Police Inspector Mudda and asked for the section to be added immediately. According to Popale, Mudda has assured that a letter will be given to the court tomorrow to add Section 109.

Popale also said women are molested in places such as Vasai, Borivali and Bhayandar, and urged women to stay alert and look after themselves. He asked them to contact an MNS branch immediately if anything of the kind happens. The incident has again raised the question of women's safety on trains.