Cross‑complaints filed after a ticket‑coach clash on the Mangaluru‑Thiruvananthapuram Express

Shoranur, Kerala – On the evening of Monday, around 7 p.m., the calm routine of the Mangaluru Central‑Thiruvananthapuram Central Express was shattered near Feroke when a travelling ticket examiner (TTE) and a woman passenger got into a heated exchange that quickly escalated into a physical tussle.

According to the written statement of S Sujith, a 38‑year‑old TTE attached to the Palakkad Division’s Shoranur team, the woman – identified as Shruthi, 30, a resident of Pattithara – had boarded a reserved‑coach despite holding only a general ticket for the Feroke‑to‑Kuttippuram leg. When Sujith approached her and requested that she move to the appropriate general compartment, she allegedly resisted and the situation spiralled.

In Sujith’s version, Shruthi not only refused to comply but also shoved him, striking his face and neck. He claims she used abusive language and deliberately obstructed his official duties, leaving visible injuries that required medical attention.

But the story does not end there. Shruthi filed a separate complaint with the Railway Police, alleging that the TTE turned verbally abusive, brandishing harsh words and even attempting to strike her. She says she defended herself by pushing him away and, in the heat of the moment, grabbed his face to keep him at bay.

Both parties sought treatment at a nearby health centre after the altercation. The Shoranur Railway Police have registered FIRs based on each complaint and have launched a joint investigation to untangle the facts.

The incident has reignited a familiar debate about passenger‑staff interactions on Indian Railways, especially when ticket categories and coach allocations clash. While the railway’s own rules are clear – a general‑ticket holder must travel in the general compartment – the enforcement of these rules on crowded long‑distance trains often becomes a flashpoint.

As the case proceeds, the police will likely examine CCTV footage, interview fellow passengers and review the medical reports submitted by both Sujith and Shruthi. Until the investigation wraps up, the two sides remain at odds, each standing firm on their version of what transpired that night near Feroke.