JALPAIGURI: Harassed and molested for hours in the general compartment of an Alipurduar-bound train on Tuesday night, a 25-year-old woman jumped off with her 10-month-old baby when she suspected that her tormentors were planning to rape her. Her husband, too, leapt off behind her. Luckily for the couple, the Mahananda Express had slowed down as it entered the elephant corridor near Rajabhatkhawa in Buxa Tiger Reserve, where the maximum speed limit is 10–15 km/hour. All three survived, but sustained head injuries.Daradi Bibi and her husband Ashabul Haque, 32, had boarded the train with daughter Asmita Parveen at Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh, where they work as labourers. Residents of Dinhata in Cooch Behar, they were returning home for Eid and were to get off at Alipurduar, the final stop. When the train reached New Jalpaiguri at around 8 pm, it was already running late by nine hours. Most passengers got off at NJP. As soon as the train pulled out, five-six persons started harassing Daradi. They made lewd comments and even tried to molest her and threatened Ashabul when he protested.“It was late in the night and the safety of our baby was our priority. There were no security personnel in the compartment and I realized that getting into a fight with them could be dangerous,” said Ashabul.The harassment went on for the next three-four hours till the train crossed Birpara station. “Then I heard them talking about tying up my husband. I understood that they were planning to attack me. By that time the train had entered the forest. I alerted my husband and waited for the right time. The moment the train slowed down, we jumped off with our baby. It was risky, but this is the only way we could escape those vultures,” said Daradi.It was 11pm and the Buxa Tiger Reserve was pitch dark. Though injured, the couple picked themselves up and trudged along the rail tracks for over 30 minutes to reach Rajabhatkhawa railway station. The station authorities immediately informed railway control at Alipurduar. An ambulance was then sent to take them to Alipurduar rail hospital.By the time the train reached Alipurduar junction at 1.30 am and RPF personnel began a search, the accused had fled.“This is a sad incident and happened because the train was abnormally late. We have started a probe,” said Mukul Chandra Medhi, assistant security commissioner of RPF.