Woman set on fire in empty train compartment in Kerala

In a shocking incident, a woman suffered serious burn injuries after she was allegedly set afire by a man inside an empty compartment of the Kannur-Ernakulam Executive express in Kerala on Monday.

The woman, Fathima (41), who suffered around 40% burns, ran out of the compartment screaming in pain when she was noticed by others trying to board the train, police said. The incident occurred around 4.40 AM. The train was to embark on its journey at around 5 AM. The woman and a man had been seen quarrelling in the platform shortly before the incident, railway sources said. 

Police are on the lookout for the man, who is said to have allegedly set the woman on fire after emptying a liquor bottle on her and then escaped.

Fatima, hailing from Kozhikode district in Kerela, was first rushed to a hospitail new the train station and later to the Kozhikode medical college hospital, police said. Following the incident, the compartment was detached and the train left for its onward journey. Railway sources said at least two seats were burnt.

The incident comes four years after the brutal rape and murder of Soumya, who was pushed out from a deserted ladies compartment of a running passenger train on Feb 1, 2011 near  Vallatholnagar in Thrissur district while she was on her way home from work in Kochi.