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Woman records man staring at her, making vulgar gesture on train: 'Very disturbing and creepy'
The woman claimed that the incident occurred on March 15 while she was travelling alone from Changanacherry to Ernakulam South on the Vanchinad Express.
A woman has shared a disturbing account of harassment during a train journey in Kerala, alleging that a co-passenger repeatedly stared at her and behaved in an unsettling manner. Taking to Instagram, Eleena Elizebeth Kurien shared a video of the man, claiming the incident occurred on March 15 while she was travelling alone from Changanacherry to Ernakulam South on the Vanchinad Express.
In the video, the man can be seen frequently looking in her direction, resting his hand on his cheek, and making gestures that she described as inappropriate. In the caption, Eleena said that the experience left her deeply uncomfortable. “A man, around 50–60 years old, kept staring at my body continuously and behaving in a very disturbing and creepy way. I recorded this video quietly for my own safety,” she added.
Addressing potential victim-blaming, she stressed that the incident had nothing to do with her clothing. “What was I wearing? A kurti, loose bottoms, and a mask — and yet this still happened. So no, it’s not about the clothes,” she wrote in the comments section.
The woman also revealed that this was not her first such experience. She recounted an earlier incident in which she was allegedly inappropriately touched by an elderly man but chose to remain silent at the time. “This time, I refuse to let it go,” she said, adding that she has reported the matter to the Railway Protection Force (RPF) at Ernakulam South. According to her, officials have assured her that appropriate action will be taken.
Calling for accountability, she wrote, “Stop harassing women. We are not your victims. We are not objects for your sick behavior. Every woman deserves to feel safe, no matter where she is or what she wears."
HT.com has reached out to Eleena Elizebeth Kurien. The article will be updated once a response is received.
Social media reactions
The video has since sparked outrage on social media, with several users praising her for speaking up and calling for strict action against the accused.
“Exposing behavior like that is exactly what needs to happen. Great work,” one user wrote.
“Someone’s father, someone’s husband, someone’s son someone’s favourite uncle let this reel reach them,” commented another.
“I also had a really bad experience with him.. but I didn’t take any action or record proof back then. It happened during a trip from Alappuzha toKannur a couple of months ago.It’s really good that you recorded this and posted it. I’m sure this is how he behaves all the time, and he should be punished,” shared a third user.
