Thiruvananthapuram | A woman was critically injured after a drunk passenger pushed her out of a moving train near Varkala here on Sunday, police said.

The accused, Suresh Kumar from Vellarada in Thiruvananthapuram, has been taken into custody.

According to railway police, the incident occurred shortly after the Kerala Express departed from Varkala railway station around 8.30 pm.

The woman and her friend boarded the unreserved compartment at Aluva and were en route to Thiruvananthapuram, a police official said.

When the woman came out of the washroom, Suresh, who was standing near the door, allegedly pushed her out of the moving train, the officer said.

Police launched a search after being informed by passengers and found her lying on the tracks around two kilometres from Varkala station.

She was rushed to a nearby private hospital and later shifted to the Thiruvananthapuram Medical College, police said. Her condition remains critical as she has sustained severe internal injuries, they added.

The accused, who was intercepted by the Railway Police Force (RPF) personnel, was handed over to the railway police at Kochuveli station.

The woman’s friend said that she and the victim were coming out of the washroom when the accused attacked them. “He kicked her out of the train and then tried to pull me down as well, but I managed to escape by hanging onto the handrail at the door before others pulled me up,” she added.

Police said Suresh was heavily intoxicated and had boarded the train from Kottayam. He was taken to Fort Hospital for a medical examination.