A 25-year-old woman of Forensic Science Department of the Chennai Police was injured after falling from a moving suburban train while trying to prevent a man from snatching her mobile phone near Tambaram Sanatorium railway station on Sunday.

The victim, Aadolin Prabha, a native of Tenkasi district, works with the Forensic Science Department in Mylapore, and stays at a working women’s hostel in the Lighthouse area.

At around 8 p.m., as the train began moving from the Tambaram Sanatorium railway station, a man standing on the platform allegedly snatched the phone from her hand. She held on to the phone, and in the ensuing struggle lost her balance and fell from the moving train. Commuters on the platform rushed to her rescue.

Prabha sustained serious head and facial injuries. Members of the public caught the alleged snatcher, assaulted him, and handed him over to the Railway Protection Force personnel.

The Government Railway Police, Tambaram, arrested the suspect, identified as Ajay Nayak, 30, of Assam. Police said he was allegedly under the influence of alcohol at the time of the incident.

Later, the suspect’s wife arrived at the railway police station carrying their infant and demanded his release. When the police refused, she tried to end her life along with the child. Railway Protection Force personnel intervened and rescued both. After counselling, she was allowed to leave with the child.

Prabha was initially admitted to the Tambaram Government Hospital and later shifted to a private hospital for further treatment.

Police said Ajay Nayak, his wife and their infant were on their way to their native place when the incident occurred.

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Published - July 28, 2026 12:52 am IST