'We saw them between two tracks': 4 dead in Thane mishap; not sure how many fell from two trains, say railway officials
'We saw them between two tracks': 4 dead in Thane mishap; not sure how many fell from two trains, say railway officials
THANE: Some activists said overcrowding combined with the platform curve may have led to eight commuters simultaneously falling off two local fast trains going in opposite directions at Mumbra station Monday morning.
Central Railway, however, clarified the incident did not occur on the curve. Some speculated that scuffles inside compartments might have been a cause.
About the scratch marks found on the exterior of the last coach of the CSMT-bound train involved in the incident, a CR official said the rake was taken to Kalwa car shed to ascertain if the marks were sustained during the incident or were pre-existing.
Those dead were identified as Ketan Saroj (23), a BPO employee and resident of Ulhasnagar, Vicky Mukhyadal (34), a railway policeman returning home to Kalyan from duty, Rahul Gupta (27) from Diva, and Mayur Shah (44) from Thane.
The nine injured were Priyanka Bhatia (26) from Shahad; Sneha Dhonde (21) from Titwala; Adesh Bhoir (26) from Kasara; Rihan Shaikh (26) from Bhiwandi; Tushar Bhagat (22) from Titwala; Manish Saroj (26) from Diva; Machhindra Gotarne (39) from Vashind; and Shiva Gavli (23) and Anil More (40). They were all admitted to Jupiter Hospital.
It was not clear how many people fell from each of the trains, railway officials said.
Of the four dead, though, Mukhyadal was in the Karjat-bound train and two others – Saroj and Gupta -- were in the CSMT bound local; it is not yet clear which train Shah fell off.
Sources said the guard of the Kasara–CSMT train raised an alarm after spotting passengers lying between the tracks. Eyewitnesses at Mumbra described a horrific scene with injured commuters lying in the gap between the up and down fast lines. Commuters and cops immediately jumped onto the tracks to help.
Commuter Deepak Shirsat said crowding at Diva led to intense footboard pressure, causing his friend to fall. 'We tried pulling the chain, but it didn't stop the train,' he said.
CR's chief PRO Nila said, 'Of the nine injured, five were hurt while travelling inside the compartment, and four fell off the train. All were shifted to nearby hospitals.'
A CR official said, 'This is an unheard-of incident in the history of Mumbai's suburban system.
There are incidents of people falling down but these are isolated. It is shocking 8 people fell at the same time.' He said the gap between two passing trains is 2 m or 6.5 ft. It means a person has to be hanging out by 3.5 ft to have collided with a passenger from opposite train. 'This is indeed baffling,' he said.
The railways have now decided to introduce non-AC locals with automatic door closure and enhanced ventilation features by Jan 2026.
Parallelly, they have initiated procurement of 238 AC locals. Tenders for AC rakes were floated and cancelled for 'administrative reasons' two years ago.
On the sharp curve theory,commuter activist Rafique Shaikh said, 'Load often shifts to one side due to the curve, making it hard for footboard travellers to hold on.'
CM Devendra Fadnavis said railways have begun an investigation. State minister Girish Mahajan announced Rs 5 lakh compensation for kin of each of the deceased and free medical care for the injured.
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Time of India
16 hours ago
- Time of India
Thane tragedy: ‘CCTV cameras' view blocked by trains, those injured too can't tell how they fell'
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Time of India
17 hours ago
- Time of India
Thane accident: Trains move at slower speed on Mumbra stretch after mishap claim commuters, CR cites different reason
THANE: Local and mail express trains crossing the Diva end stretch of Mumbra platforms 3 and 4 were moving at a comparatively slower speed than before since Tuesday morning, commuters pointed out. Interestingly, this is a day after railway activists and regular commuters blamed the trains on the fast tracks cruising at high speeds at the sharp curvature at the northern end of Mumbra platforms 3 and 4 for possibly being the cause of the freak Monday mishap where four passengers died and ten others suffered injuries. An initial probe by the railway police had revealed the bags dangling out of the coaches of passengers travelling on the footboard may have brushed against each other, causing the mishap. Mumbra commuter activist Rafique Sheikh said trains were moving at a slower speed at the spot compared to the previous day. The Central Railways, however, claimed a speed restriction was imposed, but it was not due to the Monday incident. 'There was some engineering work going on at a spot 1.5 km away from the spot,' said CR Chief PRO Swapnil Nila. Meanwhile, activists said they alerted the administration about three spots between Diva and Kalwa as potential danger spots. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo Diva-based activist Ananda Patil said he wrote to the railways three months back, highlighting how trains leaned dangerously to one side while crossing the stretches. 'There are three spots between Diva and Kalwa which pose threats, but to date, there is no corrective action except for a statement by the administration declaring the spot to be as per the standards,' said Patil. Nila also dismissed the possibility and defended that the curvature was as per the norms. Meanwhile, the local staff from Mumbra station who attended to the mishap victims were likely to be called in for questioning. The railway police, guided by the Assistant Commissioner of Police, Railways, CSMT, also inspected the spot where the victims were found following the mishap to look for clues. 'We are likely to access the CCTV footage of the spot along with the train pilot and manager of the CSMT and Karjat locals,' informed a police official requesting anonymity.
Hindustan Times
18 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Mumbra train accident: Scratch on coach being probed by 5-member panel
Mumbai: A day after four people died and at least nine were injured when two overcrowded suburban trains passed each other near Mumbra, a scratch mark on one of the train's coaches is among the focus areas of a five-member committee formed by Central Railway (CR) on Tuesday to investigate the incident. Officials said the committee has begun studying various possible reasons that could have led to people falling off the two trains. Of the 13 victims, two—Vicky Mukhyadal, 34, and Manish Shah, 44—were travelling on the CSMT-Karjat fast local towards Kalyan, while the remaining 11 were headed towards Thane on the Kasara-CSMT fast local. As public and political criticism mounted following the mishap, CR on Tuesday appointed a five-member committee, comprising officers from its Mumbai division, to investigate the incident. CR's chief safety officer will monitor the overall investigation process. 'This committee will thoroughly investigate the incident and identify the root causes. They will also provide suggestions and measures to avoid similar incidents in the future,' said a senior CR official, who requested anonymity. Main theory The primary theory being explored is that commuters were standing on the footboards of both crowded trains, and their backpacks brushed against each other as the trains passed each other in opposite directions, officials said. There is a dark black scratch extending a few feet on the exterior of one of the coaches of the Kasara-CSMT fast local, said a CR official. 'It looks like a bag held by someone travelling on the CSMT-Karjat train left a scratch on the coach. One of the injured victims has stated that it seemed as if someone from the opposite train bumped into the coach of the CSMT-bound train and fell down. There are some fragments of an object stuck on the coach as well, which is being investigated,' the official said. The official added that the scratch could also have been caused by a solid metal object brushing against the coach. 'The possibility of this object and/or bag hitting the passengers standing by the footboard is being looked into. It is possible that the bags of passengers on one train brushed against those standing precariously on the edge of the footboard on the other train. However, this is conjecture, and there are multiple factors to consider,' the official said. The multiple factors being considered include the involvement of the notorious fatka gang that targets train passengers, a scuffle in one of the coaches, and a sudden jerk caused due to braking that may have led to passengers standing on the footboard losing their balance and falling off, the official added. On Tuesday, CR officials were seen measuring the distance between the two adjacent tracks at the spot where the accident occurred. CR will also investigate whether the curvature of the tracks at Mumbra led to the incident. However, officials said that it's only a 2.5-degree curve and the commuters who fell were 50 metres away from it. 'The possibility of this curvature being blamed for this incident seems to be unfounded. There are 153 curvatures across the Mumbai division that are over four degrees. In the ghat sections (Kalyan-Karjat/Kasara), there are rail tracks that have curves of seven degrees,' said another railway official. One more injured person Meanwhile, authorities at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Hospital in Kalwa and the Government Railway Police, Thane, said that one more injured person—Jitendra Mhatre, 32—was added to the list on Monday evening, bringing the total number of injured to 10. Mhatre suffered a back injury after falling off the CSMT-bound local. However, CR is yet to update its official figures. Machindra Gotrane, 39, who suffered a head and leg injury, was moved to the JJ Hospital in Mumbai on Tuesday after his condition worsened due to neurological complications. His distraught wife, Kunda Gotrane, collapsed twice at the hospital. 'Everything feels like a blur. I just want to see him standing again,' she said, wiping away tears. Two of the most critically injured—Shiva Gawli and Anil More—were moved to Jupiter Hospital in Thane for intensive care. Gawli's condition has slightly improved, while More remains critical, according to tehsildar Umesh Patil. Both are under close observation by a team of doctors. According to the Kalwa hospital officials, three male injured patients underwent orthopaedic surgeries on Tuesday, following medical assessments indicating bone fractures and internal injuries. The condition of the remaining four patients is reported to be stable, but several require continued medical support and monitoring. CR officials said the victims should approach the Railway Claims Tribunal for compensation.
