Mumbai: 24-year-old beautician fights off robber on late-night local – Times of India

MUMBAI: A 24-year-old woman was assaulted in an unguarded local train compartment on Western Railway on Friday by a robber who attempted to snatch her chain. She resisted, which caused him to panic and flee. His images have been captured on some surveillance cameras and investigators are looking for him.
The beautician from Colaba around 11.45pm boarded a Churchgate-bound fast local from Bandra station to head home after work. She was travelling in a second class ladies compartment, which did not have a Home Guard on escort duty. By the time the train reached Charni Road station, passengers in the ladies coach had alighted, except the victim. Police said the accused got in at Charni Road.
“After the train started moving, he came up from behind the victim, catching her unawares. He slid his hand around her neck to pull her gold chain. The victim turned which left scratches on her neck,” said a GRP officer.
The accused grabbed her arm but the victim freed herself and raised an alarm. Police said she put up a fight, which the robber had probably not expected. He rushed towards the door and jumped off as the train slowed down before Marine Lines station. The victim suffered minor injuries on her arm.
After the train reached Churchgate station, she informed police and sought medical aid. She returned on Saturday to Churchgate GRP chowky to lodge a complaint.
An FIR was registered under Section 393 (attempt to commit robbery) of Indian Penal Code. Police officers are scanning through CCTV footage of Grant Road station and Charni Road station. They found images of the accused standing at the door of the ladies compartment.
“We are tapping our informant network and hope to nab the robber soon,” said a senior officer.
Home Guards and GRP personnel take turns to escort ladies compartments of local trains from 9pm to 6am daily. In the current case, a Home Guard had escorted the ladies compartment from Virar station to Andheri station. Sources said railway police were using an old railway schedule, according to which the train terminated its journey at Andheri. As per the new schedule, the train’s journey had been extended till Churchgate station.
Passenger welfare activists said an armed guard’s presence in the ladies compartment may have deterred the accused from entering.