Kerala woman set afire inside train dies, probe on

A 45-year-old woman from north Kerala who suffered severe burn injuries after she was set on fire by an unidentified man inside an empty railway compartment succumbed to her injuries Monday night.

The railway police, probing the death of a woman who was set ablaze inside a vacant train compartment on Monday, have released a rough sketch of a man believed to be in the age group 22 to 25, who has committed the crime.

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According to the police, the incident occurred on Monday morning around 4:30am on the Kannur-Kayamkulam Executive Express and offcials say the police has got some vital clues about the suspect.

A middle-aged woman and a young man were seen arguing as they walked on the platform. The two heading to the train that was to depart later.

Those present at the platform had given a brief description of the man and with their help the railway police and the Railway Protection Force prepared the sketch that has now been made public.

According to the police, the two boarded the 13th compartment of the train much before the departure time and after a while, people noticed fire in the compartment. The man who was then seen rushing out of the train, disappeared into the darkness.

She has been identified as 45-year-old Khadeeja and a resident of Kondotti area in Malappuram district.

CPI-M leader KK Shailaja said that this was yet another case of attack against women in the train.

"For long we have been pleading for the posting of police inside the train compartments and on railway platforms. This has fallen on deaf ears as neither the state government nor the Railways have done anything against these requests that have come from numerous women's organisation," said Shailaja.