Thiruvananthapuram: In an early-morning incident in Kannur in north Kerala an unidentified man attempted to set alight a woman after dousing her with kerosene, in a local passenger train.
The incident happened around 5am while the Kannur-Alappuzha train was at the Kannur railway station. The woman was identified as Fathima (41), a resident of Kidangallur near Kondotti in Malappuram district.
Early reports indicated that there was no one else in the compartment when the incident took place and the woman ran out of the train after the incident. The seat on which she was sitting was partially burnt. Railway authorities disconnected the coach for investigations before the train embarked on its journey.
Fathima reportedly suffered more than 40 per cent burns. She was taken to the Kannur district hospital for first aid and then to the Kozhikode Medical College.
Some passengers who were on the platform saw the woman in flames running out of the train, and they said they had also seen a man fleeing the scene. Police have launched a search for the suspect.
In another incident, body of a woman was found buried in a coconut grove in Kasaragod. The body was found near the national highway near Neeleswaram. The deceased has been identified as P. Rajani, owner of a home nursing establishment, who had gone missing. Police have taken into custody one Satheesan, who is believed to have been an agent for her, in connection with the incident.
Rajani had gone missing on Onam day. Police took a clue from the information that Satheesan had called the home nursing firm and informed staff that Rajani would be back after a few days. In the course of the investigation, police had earlier seized a van belonging to Satheesan.
The body was found near Kanichira, where Rajani had stayed earlier. Local labourers who were clearing the area complained of a stench and the investigation led to the decomposed body.
