Man arrested for abusing woman inside Dubai Metro train carriage

Dubai: A man has been accused of abusing a pregnant woman on a Dubai Metro train.

The Dubai Court of First Instance heard on Monday that the 31-year-old Egyptian woman, a housewife, was at a Metro station in March 2020, heading towards Al Garhoud, when her countryman touched her from behind inside a train compartment.

“I was standing as there were no vacant seats. I felt someone behind me. I saw the defendant standing close to me despite there being enough room. I moved forward, but he touched me again,” said the victim on record.

She said the defendant repeated the offence three times when she finally yelled at him.

“As soon as the train reached the next station he escaped. I tried to chase him, but I was tired as I was pregnant. He intended to abuse me.”

The woman reported the incident to Dubai Police who identified the 33-year-old Egyptian defendant and arrested him inside the Metro station.

“We identified the suspect through surveillance cameras. He admitted to accidentally touching the woman’s body as it was crowded inside the train,” a 49-year-old Emirati policeman said on record.

The defendant claimed that he had run away because he was afraid when the victim shouted at him.

Dubai Public Prosecution has charged the defendant with sexually abusing the victim.

A verdict is expected on August 24.