Man arrested in Hong Kong for calmly shoving cleaner onto rail track

A man from Southeast Asia was arrested in Hong Kong on Saturday morning for pushing a cleaner onto a rail track in the town of Yuen Long.

The incident was captured on CCTV footage that has since gone viral and which appears to show the 59-year-old female cleaner shoved in the back before the culprit calmly walks away.

The woman, surnamed Leung, had been standing on platform No 5 at the Yuen Long terminal for the Light Rail's 761P route at about 10.30am.

The platform receives cars heading towards Tin Yat, reports South China Morning Post.

After she waves to an acquaintance, the 56-year-old man - wearing a beige cap, green shirt and brown trousers - walks towards Leung and suddenly pushes her onto the track with his right hand.

He then calmly walks away.

No train was passing by at that moment.

The Post understands that the man holds a Hong Kong identity card.

A police spokeswoman said officers had arrested the man near the rail stop on suspicion of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

"The woman suffered injuries to her jaw and was sent to Pok Oi Hospital for treatment," she said.

Officers from the Yuen Long criminal investigation division are looking into the motive.