A 23-year-old man was nabbed by the Railway police in Chennai, on Monday, February 15, for allegedly masturbating in front of a woman inside the women’s compartment of a local train. The train was going from Nungambakkam to Tambaram on February 9. According to reports, the accused has been identified as Lakshmanan from Meenamabakkam, and he was arrested from Chrompet and handed over to the Tambaram railway police. A case has been registered under section 354-A (sexual harassment) of the Indian Penal Code.
Soon after the incident, the woman, who is a journalist working with a Tamil YouTube channel, uploaded a video to the channel stating the instance of harassment. As soon as she raised an alarm, he had absconded from the spot.
As per the complaint, the woman had boarded the local train around 9.40 pm. The complaint stated that after the train had crossed the Pallavaram station, she noticed the accused man, sitting in the women’s compartment and masturbating in front of her, which she recorded on her mobile phone. As she confronted the man, he got down and ran away in Chrompet station, she said in the complaint. Based on the information given by the woman, the police traced and arrested the accused.
“At least after this incident, the government should initiate action. CCTV cameras should be installed inside ladies compartments or a guard should be present at night. If you come across any such incident, shout out, there is nothing to be ashamed of. This will give more awareness to the rest of the other women,” the woman had said in the video, according to reports.
The railway police, in a press release, has stated that strict action will be taken against offenders who indulge in obscene and objectionable acts in public. “Women are also encouraged to come forward and lodge complaints without any hesitation,” the release read.