Police Arrest One for Alleged Orange Line Assault

A homeless man was arrested late Wednesday afternoon after he reportedly fondled a woman on a crowded orange line train.

According to a report submitted by MBTA police, Abdulkadir Abbas, 29, sat down next to a female passenger and began stroking her inner thigh and genitals while the train was traveling between Community College and Mass Ave. around around 4 p.m.

The victim asked Abbas repeatedly to stop, and tried to push his hands away unsuccessfully, police said. Unable to move away on the congested train, she later exited at Jackson Square and reported the incident to MBTA inspectors. She also provided them a photo of the man taken with her cell phone.

Transit Police officers at Forest Hills alerted by the inspectors found a man matching the description and photo sitting in a train and escorted him out. Abbas appeared intoxicated and began rubbing his genitals repeatedly while officers attempted to question him, the report stated.

Abbas, who listed his residence as the St. Francis House on Boylston Street, was positively identified by the victim and charged with indecent assault and battery.