Sketch of suspect who set woman on fire on a train released

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

According to the police, the incident occurred Monday morning around 4.30 a.m. on the Kannur-Kayamkulam Executive Express.

According to those in the know of things, the police have got some vital clues about the suspect.

A middle-aged woman and a youth were seen arguing for long as they were walking on the platform and was heading to the train that was to depart later. Those who were present at the platform had given a brief description of the youth 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 of them boarded the 13th compartment of the train much before the departure time. After a while, people noticed fire in the compartment and the youth rushed out of the train and disappeared into the darkness.

By the time police officers came to the compartment, the woman had suffered serious burn injuries as she was doused with alcohol. She died Monday night at the Kozhikode Medical College Hospital and on Tuesday afternoon, her body was handed over to her relatives after conducting the post mortem.

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

CPI-M leader K.K. Shailaja said 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 in the railway platforms. This has fallen on deaf ears as neither the state government or the Railways have done nothing against this requests that has come from numerous women's organisation," said Shailaja.