Kasaragod: Kasaragod Railway Police have registered a case against a senior forest officer for allegedly misbehaving with female passengers and making obscene gestures inside a train compartment.

The accused officer has been identified as Jose Mathew, a native of Jose Giri in Cherupuzha, who serves as the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) in Kasaragod.

According to police details, the incident occurred on August 22 aboard the Okha Express while Mathew was travelling in a general compartment from Thiruvananthapuram to Kasaragod. The First Information Report (FIR) notes that during the journey, he engaged in improper conduct towards women co-passengers and performed explicit gestures.

Following the misconduct, passengers alerted the Railway Police. When the train pulled into Kasaragod railway station in the early hours, officers intercepted Mathew on the platform.

He was subsequently released after being served a formal legal notice. Railway police registered a case against the DFO under Section 119(a) of the Kerala Police Act, which penalises making sexual gestures or committing acts that degrade the dignity of women in public places.

Officials confirmed that a formal investigation is underway, with police currently recording witness statements. Mathew is expected to be summoned for questioning shortly as part of the ongoing probe.

PTI