A shocking incident aboard the Raipur-Nagpur Vande Bharat Express on Sunday morning sparked outrage among passengers after an elderly man allegedly harassed a woman co-passenger by displaying obscene content on his mobile phone.
According to railway police and eyewitness accounts, the woman, a government employee from Madhya Pradesh, was travelling from Raipur to Nagpur when the accused, who was seated beside her, began watching explicit videos on his phone during the journey.
Passengers alleged that as the train neared Nagpur, the man increased the volume of the videos and intentionally positioned his phone so that the woman could see the content. The behaviour reportedly left her distressed and uncomfortable. Fellow travellers noticed her discomfort and intervened after learning about the situation. When a passenger initially questioned the man’s conduct, he allegedly reacted aggressively. However, after the woman raised an alarm, other passengers gathered around and strongly objected to his actions, leading to a heated exchange inside the coach.
Following the commotion, Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel and the ticket examiner (TTE) reached the coach and took stock of the situation. After the train arrived at Nagpur Railway Station, the accused, the woman, and several witnesses were escorted to the RPF post for further inquiry.
The woman later narrated the incident before railway officials, after which the matter was referred to the Government Railway Police (GRP). However, due to a scheduled flight later in the day, she was unable to lodge a formal complaint immediately and left after recording her statement. Police sources identified the accused as a resident of Nagpur’s Jaripatka area and a retired senior government official. Investigators suspect that the man may have deleted the objectionable videos from his mobile phone after being taken in for questioning.
Speaking to the media, Senior Police Inspector Gaurav Gavande of the Nagpur Railway Police said the matter is being handled with due sensitivity and that the woman has been counselled. He added that since a formal complaint could not be registered on Sunday because of her travel commitments, police expect her to submit one upon her return.
Authorities have initiated an inquiry into the incident, and further legal action will be taken based on the victim’s complaint and the directions of senior officials.
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