Elderly man 'molests' Irish tourist at City railway station

An elderly man from Davangere was caught barely half an hour after he allegedly molested an Irish tourist in an air-conditioned waiting room at the Bangalore City railway station Thursday. 

The 33-year-old woman was down with fever and dehydration when the suspect, Kashinath, 61, engaged her in conversation around 10.30 am. The woman, who arrived in India a week ago, had spent two days in Hampi before reaching the City by Hampi Express in the morning.

She was to leave for Ernakulam by train at 5.30 pm and had made the reservation, a source in the Home department said on the condition of anonymity. 

The suspect, who visits Bangalore regularly, suggested to the woman that she rest in the AC lounge, and ushered her there. A while later, he entered the lounge and tried to cover her with a shawl. But the woman got up, threw away the shawl and asked the suspect to be off, the source added. 

Kashinath, however, returned to the lounge again around 11.30 pm and attempted to cover her with the shawl. He allegedly held her tightly and molested her, the source said. 

The victim, who was asleep, got up and raised an alarm. A scared Kashinath ran downstairs and disappeared. 

Some passengers then rushed to the woman’s rescue and called the railway police who swung into action and managed to track down the suspect. Kashinath, however, denied the allegation when the police interrogated him.

He claimed he “was just offering the shawl to the woman as she had fever and dehydration”. The woman admitted that she was down with fever and dehydration, and had even vomited. She told the police that the suspect molested her when he came to the lounge the second time. 

The woman was later taken to K C General Hospital for medical examination. She is being treated as an inpatient and is on liquid diet, the source added. 

Police have booked Kashinath for attempt to rape, and subjected him to medical examination. Senior railway police officers and South Western Railway officials held a meeting following the incident, the source said.