Four killed after passengers fall off over-crowded train in Thane
Probe on; CM says incident ‘extremely unfortunate’
6 min read
The passengers reportedly fell while the Pushpak Express was passing through the Diva-Mumbra area as it travelled from Mumbai to Lucknow.(Express photo by Deepak Joshi)Four people died and nine others were injured after several passengers fell off two overcrowded moving trains near Mumbra railway station in Thane on Monday morning. The accident occurred due to the sudden jerk when one of the trains navigated a sharp curve between Diva and Mumbra stations, leading to the passengers on footboards of the trains bump into each other and and fall off, according to officials.
The passengers reportedly fell around 9 am while the Kasara-bound train, which started from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT), was passing through the Diva-Mumbra area. People hanging off this train’s footboard collided with the passengers who were similarly clinging on to another train that was passing in the opposite direction towards CSMT, causing the accident, Central Railway (CR) Mumbai Division officials said.
The four dead have been identified as Ketan Saroj (23), Rahul Gupta (27), Vicky Mukhyadal (34) and Mayur Shah (44). The injured passengers are: Shiva Gawli (23), Aadesh Bhoir (26), Rehan Shaikh (26), Anil More (40), Tushar Bhagat (22), Manish Saroj (26), Machchindra Gotarne (39), Sneha Dhonde (21) and Priyanka Bhatia (26).
According to Central Railway CPRO Dr Swapnil Nila, “The first information was given to us by the guard of the Kasara-bound local train saying that six passengers were seen lying injured on the down-through track. Once the ambulances reached the spot, we found out that there were eight passengers.”
“From preliminary investigation, it is found out that the passengers were travelling on footboard… sometimes passengers travel standing on the footboard even when there is space in the train. There is CCTV footage available on a route or a section… Further inquiries are being conducted to determine the reasons that led to the tragic incident,” added Nila.
According to Government Railway Police (GRP) authorities, there was a sudden jerk due to which passengers on the footboards of the two trains hit against each other and fell.
“Such accidents are a notorious occurrence on this stretch, particularly around the curve close to Mumbra station,” a senior GRP officer told The Indian Express, adding, “Even sitting passengers feel the jerk when the train navigates the curve. For those standing on the footboard, it becomes very hazardous.”
The risk is compounded during the monsoon season, when the ground beneath the tracks softens, leading to minor track misalignments and increased train sway. “Both trains appear to have leaned due to this slight misalignment, bringing the commuters dangerously close,” the GRP officer said.
On this, Nila added, “It is not a collision. In this incident, the passengers travelling on footboards in trains in opposite directions got entangled. This is one of the suspected reasons for the incident, as informed by a passenger. The distance between two trains is 1.5-2 metres, but on curves, a slight tilt happens, and this could be an additional reason for the incident.”
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said, “The incident in which a total of eight passengers fell from a local train between Diva and Mumbra stations, resulting in some fatalities, is extremely unfortunate. I offer my heartfelt condolences to the deceased.”
“The local administration is coordinating efforts on the ground. I pray to the Almighty for the swift recovery of the injured. The railway department has initiated an investigation to determine the exact cause of the incident,” the CM added.
A senior Railway Protection Force (RPF) officer said, “Understanding the risk at this curve, additional RPF officers are always deployed here as this is an accident-prone zone. However, this accident occurred due to the collision between the passengers hanging out.”
“Despite preventive measures, the accident happened because of the forceful impact between passengers hanging outside the two trains,” the officer noted.
Senior police inspector of Mumbra police station, Anil Shinde, said, “We received the information by 9.15 am and rushed to the spot to find about seven to eight people lying injured, and at least four dead. The injured and the deceased were rushed to the nearby Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Hospital in Kalwa. Four of the injured people went to Jupiter Hospital themselves.”
Shiva Sherwai, a resident of Santosh Nagar in Mumbra who witnessed the accident, said, “I was just passing by the platform after crossing from the West side to East when I noticed two fast trains passing by simultaneously. The train on platform 4 towards CSMT was very fast, so I waited, and saw seven to eight people fallen on the tracks, bleeding and asking for help.”
Following the accident, the Railway Board has decided that all trains being manufactured for the Mumbai suburban region will have an automatic door-closing feature. Rakes that are in service will also be redesigned, and the same feature will be added.
Nationalist Congress Party MLA, Jitendra Awhad visited the injured admitted at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Hospital in Kalwa where he questioned the measures taken by CR to address the overcrowding in local trains.
“The Diva-terminating local has always been in demand but the railways has done nothing to address this demand. In recent years, the population in Kalwa-Mumbra-Diva has only increased but the Central Railway has not cared to increase the frequency of trains here,” he said.
Meanwhile, Harshwardhan Sapkal, president of the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee, criticised the government and its hollow promises to citizens. “These deaths are not by accident. These people became victims at the hands of the government. For the past 11 years, the people of Maharashtra and Mumbai have been listening to empty promises about improved infrastructure and smoother commutes for Mumbaikars,” he said.
“In the name of development and facilities, it has become a game of awarding tenders and collecting commissions. The ruling officials and contractors have grown richer through this nexus, while ordinary citizens are paying for this corruption with their lives,” Sapkal said.
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