Man arrested for pushing woman before train

A HOMELESS man has been arrested and booked on suspicion of attempted murder in New York after he pushed a woman onto subway tracks just as a train was entering the station.

Aditya Vemulapati, 24, was arrested and booked on suspicion of attempted murder, reckless endangerment, attempted assault in the first degree and assault in the second degree, according to a criminal complaint filed by Manhattan prosecutors.

A report in NBC News said a judge ordered the Indian origin youth to be held until his December 4 court date.

Video footage from the station showed Vemulapati at a subway station in Union Square pushing Liliana Llanos just as the incoming train pulled into the station.

Llanos miraculously escaped and sustained only minor injuries. She fell in between two train tracks and narrowly missed the train's impact as it passed over early morning on last Thursday.

Vemulapati was taken into custody at the scene, police said.

The report said Llanos had headphones on and was listening to Bible passages. Witnesses say she was waiting for the train when Vemulapati approached her, appearing to talk to himself.

From the footage it appeared that he had timed the shove just as an incoming train was approaching the station and pushed her without saying a word, the report added.

Kathleen O'Reilly, NYPD Chief of Transit Captain, said: ‘It's very disturbing. We see him waiting, calculating for the train to approach the station and at the opportune moment he pushed the victim onto the tracks'.

‘She fell fortunately for her between the roll bed and rails, and by the grace of God sustained only minor injuries'.

After shoving the woman, Vemulapati saw the police approaching and laid down on the platform. The police said that Vemulapati was emotionally disturbed.

Llanos sustained minor cuts to her head and body. Later, she was able to return to their Sunset Park apartment.

The incident led the president of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) to draw attention to the mental health problems in the city that carry over to subway platforms.