A 67-year-old woman has complained to the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL), alleging that a young woman assaulted her after she asked the passenger to vacate a seat reserved for senior citizens and pregnant women on a Bengaluru Metro train.
According to the complaint reported by Prajavani, the incident took place on September 19 on the Green Line. The woman, identified as Shailaja M., had boarded a ladies’ reserved coach at Sandal Soap Factory station while travelling towards Konanakunte. She reportedly saw a young woman occupying a seat designated for senior citizens and pregnant women while older passengers were standing.
Shailaja said she asked the passenger to give up the seat. When the passenger allegedly refused, Shailaja told her that she would take a photograph and file a complaint. The complaint states that the young woman then allegedly attacked her when she attempted to use her mobile phone.
“I was pushed, my mobile phone was knocked down, and I was hit on the forehead and cheek. She also pulled my hair and troubled me,” Shailaja said in her complaint, according to the report. She said she was 67 years old and could not effectively defend herself during the alleged assault.
The complainant further stated that other passengers tried to restrain the young woman. However, the woman allegedly pushed through the passengers, got off the train at Majestic station and fled. The reported incident occurred between Sampige Road and Majestic stations.
Shailaja has asked BMRCL to examine footage from the closed-circuit television cameras installed in the Metro system and take action against the woman. The complaint places the next step with the Metro corporation’s review of the available surveillance footage and any subsequent action based on that evidence.
The incident highlights how reserved seating rules depend not only on passenger awareness but also on the ability of transport authorities to respond when disputes escalate inside trains. In this case, the complaint began with a disagreement over a seat intended for senior citizens and pregnant women and developed into an allegation of physical assault in a moving train.
The report does not state whether BMRCL has completed its CCTV review, identified the accused passenger or registered a police case. Those details remain subject to the corporation’s response and any further investigation. Until the footage and other evidence are examined, the allegations remain based on the complainant’s account.
