The ticket checker claimed to have suffered an injury to the back of his head (Representational)
A travelling ticket examiner (TTE) was allegedly attacked with a knife onboard a moving train in Kerala by a man against whom the railway official had complained to the RPF for being drunk.
The incident occurred on the West Coast Express on Sunday close to Vatakara in Kozhikode district, a Railway police officer said.
The accused was arrested based on the TTE's statement, the police said.
The TTE claimed to have suffered an injury to the back of his head in the attack.
He told reporters that from Kannur he notice the alleged attacker was drunk and accordingly informed the Railway Protection Force's (RPF) control room.
Subsequently, RPF officers made him deboard the train at Thalassery, the TTE said.
However, the man got back on the train under the pretext of getting his bag and then went and sat in the general compartment, he said.
Later while checking for tickets, he found the man in another reserved coach and on confronting him, the accused abused the official in Hindi and took out a knife and started waving it around, the TTE claimed, adding that he was injured during the ensuing scuffle.
Some of the passengers standing behind the accused managed to restrain him, averting any serious injuries to the ticket checker, the official said.