KOCHI: The State Railway Police directorce and the Railway Protection Force (RPF), along with the local police, have launched a manhunt to nab Babukuttan, a resident of Nooranad in Alappuzha, for attacking a woman travelling alone in a passenger train. Police said the suspect is a notorious history sheeter and was involved in robbery on trains.
“The victim said the assailant has a defective eye. Then we concluded that Babukuttan was behind the attack. He was involved in robbery on trains running on Alappuzha and Kottayam routes. In 2019, he was also booked for a temple theft in Alappuzha,” said an RPF officer.
Explaining Babukuttan’s modus operandi, the officer said, he would rob women travelling alone after flashing a lethal weapon. He chooses trains that don’t have police personnel on duty. Due to the mental trauma, victims normally would not lodge any formal complaint which helps criminals go scot free, the officer said. Due to the pandemic, only a few commuters rely on passenger trains now.
According to the RPF, commuters ignore their repeated warnings not to travel alone in lady’s compartments.