"at the opportune moment, he pushed her to the tracks."
Aditya Vemulapati, aged 24, was arrested for pushing a woman in front of a train. The US Indian man was captured on CCTV carrying out the unprovoked attack.
The incident happened in a Manhattan subway station on the morning of November 19, 2020.
Vemulapati attacked the unsuspecting 40-year-old as she waited for a train at 14th Street-Union Square Station.
Witnesses said they saw the man pacing and muttering to himself before running up behind the woman and pushing her onto the tracks as the train entered the station.
Afterwards, he made no attempt to flee and was arrested at the scene.
Paramedics soon rushed to the scene. They found the woman trapped under the train with a head injury.
She was able to lay flat on the trackbed as the train went over her, avoiding major injuries.
The woman suffered a gash to her head which required stitches.
NYPD Transit Chief Kathleen O’Reilly said: “It was by the grace of God that she sustained only minor injuries.
“We see him waiting and calculating when the train comes into the station, and at the opportune moment, he pushed her to the tracks.
“Twenty-two million passengers pass through this station every year, so it’s fortunate for us that our officers knew exactly where they needed to be.”
The US Indian man, who is homeless, was charged with second-degree attempted murder, first-degree attempted assault, assault in the second-degree and first-degree reckless endangerment.
During the arraignment, a prosecutor told Judge Keisha Espinal:
“This case is a strong case. The defendant attempted to kill a stranger on a subway platform yesterday morning.
“The only reason she is alive is because she landed between the tracks and the train was able to pass over her.”
It was pointed out that there were “several eyewitnesses”, as well as “video evidence” and that Vemulapati “admitted to pushing her in front of the train”.
Watch the Incident. Warning – Distressing Footage
Subway shove at Union Square 8:30am. Cops say suspect timed push so victim would get hit by train. Somehow she not only survived, but suffered only minor injuries; landed between the tracks. Cops say 24-year-old suspect Aditya Vemulapati is emotionally disturbed and homeless. pic.twitter.com/Qvy8xwgFTk
— CeFaan Kim (@CeFaanKim) November 20, 2020
Vemulapati has been in New York for a few months. While he has no arrests in the state, he has been previously arrested in Illinois, Missouri and Florida.
Prosecutors say he still has an open burglary case in Florida.
Following the incident, the alleged victim, Liliana Sagbaicela was at home recovering.
She said: “I saw in the video, the man — oh my, God, I can’t believe it.
“Is this happening? Now I understand why everybody and the police say to me, ‘You are alive for the miracles. You are a miracle.”
Vemulapati was remanded in custody without bail.
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