PALGHAR: Two passengers of a Mumbai-Indore train have been arrested for allegedly disrobing a co-passenger, molesting her, slashing her with a blade, and threatening her late on Saturday.
According to the complainant, a 43-year-old lawyer from Thane, owing to a last-minute decision to travel to Indore, she boarded the general compartment of 12961 Mumbai Central-Indore Avantika Express on Saturday. Soon after the train departed, a co-passenger, Imtiyaz Odiya, allegedly picked up a fight with another.
Around 9.45pm, while the train was crossing Saphale, the victim went to the toilet. When she returned, she found another co-passenger, Rubina Yusuf Pathan, rummaging through her bag and throwing items out of it. On being confronted, Pathan accused the victim of stealing her purse and allegedly pulled her pants down to look for it, all while abusing her. Pathan then allegedly pulled out a blade and slashed the victim’s forearms.
The victim said during the assault, Odiya, who police alleged was a drug addict, also attacked her, molested her, held a set of keys to her neck, and threatened to hurt her. He also allegedly stole Rs 1,500 from her bag. It wasn’t clear if other passengers intervened and attempted to stop the attack.
Around 11.45pm, when the train reached Valsad station, local police rescued the victim and took her to a hospital. Palghar GRP filed an FIR on Sunday invoking BNS charges on assault, outraging the modesty of a woman, using criminal force on a woman with the intent to disrobe, and voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt by dangerous weapons, and arrested Pathan and Odiya. Police said they will be produced in court on Monday.
