The clock struck 11.45 when Railway Protection Force (RPF) constable K Shivaji and sub-inspector S Subbiah, were on a regular night patrol. They were travelling on an MRTS train from Velachery to Chennai Beach when screams for help from the adjacent women’s coach perturbed them.
Their train had only pulled out of Chintadripet station, and the patrolling squad didn’t have much time in hand.
As these MRTS trains don’t have connecting coaches, Constable Shivaji had to wait till the local slowed down towards Park Town, which was the next stop. Without a second thought, he jumped out of the moving train and sprinted into the adjacent coach.
He saw a man trying to assault a woman in the deserted coach. The constable leapt into action and pushed the man away to rescue the woman, reported The Times of India.
The 25-year-old woman was found unconscious with her lips bleeding and clothes torn. Shivaji’s team rushed soon after and arranged for an ambulance to take her to Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital, the nearest one. She is stable condition now, the doctors told TOI.
The accused, 26-year-old S Satyaraj, was booked for attempt to rape and arrested by the Government Railway Police (GRP) attached to the Chennai Egmore Railway Station. He was taken to court and imprisonqed.
Speaking to The Times of India, GRP head Pon Manickavel, who met the victim in hospital expressed how she thanked constable Shivaji for saving her life.
“I have given a cash reward of Rs 5,000 (to K Shivaji) for the services of the RPF,” IGP Manickavel said.
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While we laud the constable for averting the tragedy in time, we hope this incident sheds light on the danger most women passengers are exposed to while travelling in deserted trains. Perhaps, the police department could deploy more night patrol squads to maintain vigilance along all sections of the transit system.
(Edited by Shruti Singhal)
Feature image in-set credit: The Hindu
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