A police constable from Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu was detained after a law student accused him of harassing her during a train journey. The student recorded the alleged incident on her mobile phone, which later helped alert authorities and led to swift action by the Railway Police.
The incident took place while the student was travelling by train to Coimbatore. According to her account, the man seated next to her began behaving inappropriately and harassing her during the journey. Disturbed by his actions, the student chose to document the incident instead of remaining silent.
She immediately took out her phone and recorded the alleged harassment. After securing the video, she contacted the Railway Police to report what had happened. Acting on her complaint, officials intervened promptly and instructed that the train be stopped.
The train was halted at Arakkonam Railway Station, where Railway Police personnel boarded and detained the accused. He was identified as Sheik Mohammed, a police constable attached to the RS Puram Police Station in Coimbatore. Authorities confirmed that he was taken into custody for questioning, and further investigation into the incident is currently underway.
The episode has once again highlighted concerns over women’s safety in public transport. A similar incident was reported in September, when a Central Government Agriculture Department officer was arrested in Chennai after a 17-year-old college student accused him of sexually harassing her on a government bus.
In that earlier case, the student alleged that the officer moved uncomfortably close to her and harassed her during the bus ride. She raised an alarm and informed fellow passengers, who helped detain the accused before handing him over to the police.
Following the complaint, police registered a case and initiated an investigation. Officials from the Agriculture Department were also informed of the allegations, and departmental action was expected depending on the findings of the probe.
