In Kerala, a man sprays a woman traveller with petroleum before setting her fire; 3 people died and 8 were hurt

 

A horrifying incident took place on Thursday, March 30th, in Kozhikode, a city in the southern Indian state of Kerala. A man boarded a passenger train with a can of petrol and sprayed it on a woman before setting her on fire. The train was moving at the time, and the fire quickly spread, resulting in the deaths of three people and leaving eight others injured.

Eyewitnesses described the scene as chaotic, with passengers frantically trying to escape from the train as it continued to move. The woman who was initially targeted suffered severe burns and later succumbed to her injuries at the hospital. The other two victims were a retired army officer and his wife, who was traveling in the same compartment.

The attacker, identified as 32-year-old A. Pradeep Kumar, was apprehended by the police shortly after the incident. According to reports, he had a history of mental illness and had been undergoing treatment for the past year. However, he had stopped taking his medication recently, which may have contributed to his erratic behavior.

The incident has sparked outrage across the country, with many calling for stricter laws to protect women's safety on public transport. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has condemned the attack and has announced compensation for the victims' families.

This heinous act is a stark reminder of the need for greater awareness and action to address mental health issues and violence against women in society. It is imperative that the government takes steps to improve mental health services and ensure the safety of women on public transport. Such incidents should never be allowed to happen again.