Student arrested for molesting techie on moving train

Udupi: In a swift action, Manipal police arrested a 22-year-old student from Bhatkal on charges of molesting a software engineer on a moving train from Bengaluru to Karwar. The accused is Mohammed Shuraim, and according to police, he was travelling from Mysuru to Bhatkal after undergoing jamaat training.
Police said that the victim, a software engineer from Udupi working in Bengaluru, boarded a sleeper coach (S5) to travel from Bengaluru to Udupi on Aug 24.The following morning, most passengers in her compartment alighted at Mangaluru Central railway station, leaving her alone. Since it was a reserved compartment, she continued her journey.
When the train reached Mulki, the accused allegedly gave the victim unpleasant looks, making her uncomfortable. She ignored his actions, but later, when she went to the washroom, the accused allegedly molested her. The woman immediately grabbed his collar and threatened to file a complaint. A relative of the accused in the next bogie rushed to the spot and sought forgiveness. The victim immediately clicked his picture. Upon reaching Udupi, she reported the incident through the railway app, expressing concern about women's safety. Railway police urged her to file a formal complaint, which she did the following day, accompanied by her father, police said.
Under the directions of Udupi SP Arun K, a special team was formed, led by inspector Devaraj TV and SI Raghavendra, to investigate the case promptly.
A senior officer involved in the probe explained, "We only had the photo of the suspect with no other details. We started by analysing a list of 1,200 passengers who travelled on the train, narrowing down to 58 suspects based on certain criteria. We further focused on passengers in neighbouring coaches, and finally reduced the list to eight suspects. CCTV footage from stations between Udupi and Murudeshwar was examined with the help of railway officials, to track the movement of these individuals."
The investigation revealed a link to a family member travelling on the same PNR number, leading to the conclusion that the suspect was from Bhatkal. The photo was circulated, and the crime team, with assistance from Bhatkal police, conducted a search, and the accused was finally arrested on Wednesday. Police have commended the young woman for her courage in coming forward and cooperating fully with the investigation.