Kozhikode (Kerala) | A travelling ticket examiner (TTE) was allegedly attacked with a knife on board a moving train in Kerala on Sunday by a man against whom the railway official had complained to the RPF for purportedly being drunk.

The incident occurred on the West Coast Express close to Vatakara in Kozhikode district, a Railway police officer said.

The accused was arrested based on the statement of the TTE, police said.

The TTE claimed to have suffered an injury to the back of his head in the attack.

He told reporters that he had noticed from Kannur that the alleged attacker was drunk and accordingly informed the Railway Protection Force (RPF) control room.

Subsequently, RPF officers made him deboard the train at Thalassery, the TTE said.

However, the man got back on the train under the pretext of getting his bag and then went and sat in the general compartment, he said.

Later while checking for tickets, he found the man in another reserved coach and on confronting him, the accused abused the official in Hindi and took out a knife and started waving it around, the TTE claimed.

He claimed that he was injured during the ensuing scuffle.

Some of the passengers standing behind the accused managed to restrain him and therefore, any serious injuries were avoided, the official said.