Pathanamthitta: In the incident involving three Malayali nurses getting attacked while travelling to work in London on Sunday morning, the assailant was arrested by police on the same day.

One of the victims has been identified as Sobi from Madappally in Pathanamthitta.

The incident took place at about 7.30 am British time (around 1.20 pm IST) while the women were travelling to work from Croydon on December 28. Sobi’s husband John Paul, at home in Pathanamthitta, was on a video call with her at the time and witnessed the attack live, along with their children.

Because of the 5.50-minute time difference between London and India, many workers in London finish late at night, which is midnight in India. Hence, families often call home in the morning before work.

Witnessing the attack left Sobi’s husband and children terrified. The assault began in the seat directly in front of Sobi. Passengers on the bus themselves subdued the assailant, who shouted “Indians” during the attack. The incident is being investigated as racially motivated.

Sobi had moved to London three years ago. On Sunday, she set out for work as usual. From her residence in London, she needed to take two buses. After alighting from the first bus, she boarded the second one at St Leonard’s Street bus stop – it was then that the attack occurred.

A thin woman in shabby clothing began hurling abuse at Indians without provocation, before pulling out a knife and swinging it. “Had the passengers not intervened, my colleague Akshitha from Punalur, who was seated in front, would have been stabbed,” Sobi recalled, trembling.

Three Malayali nurses were injured in the attack, namely Sobi (37), Daisy (35) from Makankunnu, Pathanamthitta, and Akshitha (27) from Punalur.

Akshitha, seated in the front row, was kicked in the stomach while trying to fend off the knife. After she collapsed in pain, the attacker then turned on others. Police arrived and took the three women to hospital.

Sobi was assaulted while trying to restrain the attacker. As the assailant swung her knife towards others, fellow passengers managed to overpower the woman. Police later stated that the arrested woman was addicted to drugs and appeared to be around 40 years old.

The injured were discharged from hospital later on Sunday. Complaints have been lodged with the Indian High Commission and Non-Resident Keralites Affairs (NORKA).