At least 5 killed as passengers fall off moving train near Mumbra in Thane: Railways
At least five people died after around 12 passengers allegedly fell off a moving express train near Mumbra railway station in Thane, according to a spokesperson for the Railways.
The passengers reportedly fell while the Pushpak Express was passing through the Diva-Mumbra area as it travelled from Mumbai to Lucknow.
While authorities are trying to determine what exactly caused the accident, sources said it occurred because the train was overcrowded and passengers were standing on either side of its doors. Preliminary reports too indicate that the coach was overcrowded, resulting in the accident.
The railway authorities said they will share more details once they gain more clarity about what happened.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Indian Express
an hour ago
- Indian Express
Activist had flagged flaw in Mumbra stn curvature 4 months ago: ‘In accordance with standard practices', Railways had responded
On Monday morning, four people lost their lives and seven others were injured after passengers fell off two moving local trains near Mumbra railway station in Thane. According to officials, the incident occurred when Kasara-bound train, which started from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, experienced a sudden jerk while navigating a sharp curve between Diva and Mumbra stations, causing commuters standing at the doors of the two trains to collide and fall off. Notably, exactly four months ago, activist Ananda Maruti Patil from Diva had warned Central Railways about the potential for such a tragedy, urging immediate action. His concerns, however, went unaddressed—culminating in the very disaster he had tried to prevent. On February 20 , Patil, a 50-year-old resident of Diva, wrote to the Railway Minister and the General Manager of Central Railways, raising serious concerns about passenger safety on the Kalwa–Mumbra–Diva stretch. Patil said he was compelled to take this step following repeated accidents and mounting complaints from fellow commuters about the dangers along this corridor. 'Beyond Kalwa station, particularly around the Parsik tunnel, and on both the Up and Down lines near Mumbra station, as well as along the curved stretches leading to Diva, train coaches tend to tilt while in motion,' Patil wrote in the letter. 'During peak hours, due to extreme overcrowding, train compartments are heavily packed. As a result, when trains tilt, passengers standing near the doors lose balance due to the pressure of the crowd and are thrown out of the train. Several commuters have suffered serious injuries, and tragically, some have lost their lives. These incidents are happening repeatedly, creating a serious threat to passenger safety. I urge you to take immediate and appropriate action in this regard and inform me in writing about the steps taken,' Patil had said in his letter. A month later, Patil received a response from the Railways acknowledging the presence of curves along the stretch, stating that the track design, including the curvature, was in accordance with standard practices outlined in the Railway Manual. 'The major track portion between Kalwa–Mumbra–Diva is on a curvature. As per standard practice given in the Railway Manual, CANT (the raising of the outer rail on a curve) is provided in curve to facilitate the safe and smooth riding on the curve. While providing CANT, normally the outer rail is kept higher than the inner rail. Hence, the train leans towards the inner track while travelling over the curve. The technical survey has also been done for the same,' the Railways said in its reply dated March 18. Patil said the Railways failed to act after his formal complaint. 'The root cause of repeated accidents on the Mumbra–Kalwa–Diva route is the uncontrolled overcrowding and the tilting of coaches on curved sections of the track. I had officially raised this issue with the Ministry of Railways. While the authorities acknowledged the technical aspects, no concrete safety measures have been implemented. This continued endangerment of passengers' lives must stop. Mumbai-bound trains should begin from Diva station to reduce the load,' said Patil. Interestingly, the Railways has addressed similar safety concerns in the past. In March 2024, after multiple incidents of passengers falling from trains between Sion and Kurla stations, the Railways undertook 'track slewing'—a process involving the lateral shifting of tracks to increase the distance between them. This is done to reduce the risk of passengers standing at doorways colliding when trains pass each other at close proximity. The intervention was prompted by reports from the Railway Protection Force (RPF) highlighting repeated accidents in that section. Patil said a similar timely intervention on the Mumbra–Diva stretch could have saved the four lives lost in Monday's tragedy. 'It's heartbreaking to see how people from far-off places travel to Mumbai in such inhuman conditions. The congestion on platforms and inside trains reduces commuters to mere cattle. This dehumanisation of working-class passengers must end,' said the activist.
Hindustan Times
8 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Mumbai train accident: CM Fadnavis orders inquiry after 4 killed in Thane tragedy
At least four passengers, including a Government Railway Police (GRP) constable, died and six others were injured after falling from an overcrowded local train in Maharashtra's Thane district during Monday morning's rush hour, officials said. The incident occurred between Diva and Kopar stations on a Kasara-bound train. According to railway officials, the accident likely happened when commuters hanging from the footboards of two passing trains brushed against each other due to overcrowding. However, the exact cause remains under investigation. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis stated that the railway administration is probing the matter. Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde expressed grief and assured support for the victims and their families, emphasizing that "saving lives is the top priority." Deputy CM Ajit Pawar called the incident a grim reminder of the urgent need to address overcrowding and passenger safety in Mumbai's suburban rail system. A police official noted that the massive rush during peak hours led many passengers to stand dangerously at the doors of the train. According to authorities, at least 12 commuters fell off the moving train. The guard of the Kasara-bound train alerted railway authorities around 9.30 am, and all injured passengers were transported to hospitals by 9.50 am. Four were declared dead on arrival. The deceased were identified as Ketan Saroj, Rahul Gupta, Mayur Shah, and GRP constable Vicky Mukhyad. The injured include four men and two women, now receiving treatment at Shivaji Hospital and Thane General Hospital. Swapnil Nila, Chief Public Relations Officer of Central Railway, clarified that the incident did not involve the Pushpak Express, refuting earlier reports. He confirmed that eight people were found on the tracks and that one injured passenger reported the fall occurred after commuters on opposite trains collided while standing on footboards. In a post on X, CM Fadnavis called the incident "very unfortunate" and reiterated that an inquiry is underway. Deputy CM Shinde said a high-level committee would investigate the cause and ensure accountability. Financial assistance will be provided to the families of the deceased. Shiv Sena MP from Thane, Naresh Mhaske, called for a thorough investigation, questioning whether crowding, a push, or an altercation may have led to the tragedy. Opposition leader Ambadas Danve also demanded accountability, citing serious concerns about railway safety. Om Prakash Sharma, president of the Thane District Railway Users Association, criticized the railway authorities for inaction despite repeated warnings about overcrowding.
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
11 hours ago
- Business Standard
At least four killed, 6 injured after falling off moving train in Thane
The incident occurred between Diva and Kopar railway stations when the overcrowded train was going towards Kasara, an official said Press Trust of India Thane At least four passengers were killed and six injured after falling off a moving local train in Maharashtra's Thane district on Monday morning, police said. The incident occurred between Diva and Kopar railway stations when the overcrowded train was going towards Kasara, an official said. As there was a huge rush during the peak hour, many people were standing at the doors of the train, he said. While the train was in motion, at least 10 passengers fell down, the official said. A guard of another train, which was going towards Kasara, alerted the railway authorities about the incident, he said. All the passengers who fell were rushed to a civic-run hospital in Kalwa. Four of them were declared dead on arrival, the official said. The deceased were in the age group of 30 to 35 years, he said. Swapnil Nila, chief public relations officer of the Central Railway, earlier in the day told PTI that the guard of a Kasara-bound train reported about the injured passengers along the track side to the control room at around 9.30 am. The injured passengers were rushed to the nearby hospitals, he said. Nila had said it was not yet known from which train the passengers fell. Shiv Sena Lok Sabha member from Thane, Naresh Mhaske demanded a probe into the death of passengers. "The cause of the incident needs to be addressed. How did they there a crowd, were they pushed, was there a fight," he told a regional news channel. Mhaske said, "One can understand if it was a crowded local train. But in this case, the tragedy happened in a moving express train. The administration also needs to be alert." Leader of Opposition in the state legislative council Ambadas Danve in a post on X said the incident of so many people suddenly getting out of the Pushpak Express and resulting in the accident is heartbreaking and serious. This incident raises questions about railway safety in Mumbai, he said.
