Search for Pahalgam terror suspect carried out after Chennai flight landed, says Sri Lankan police
NEW DELHI: A SriLankan Airlines Chennai–Colombo flight underwent a comprehensive security inspection upon its arrival at Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) on Saturday, following intelligence input from India regarding the possible presence of suspected terrorists linked to the recent Pahalgam terror attack.
Sources revealed that security was also heightened at Chennai Airport after authorities received an email claiming that Lashkar-e-Taiba operatives were on board a Colombo-bound SriLankan Airlines flight. This email was received after the flight had already departed for Colombo, they added.
According to sources, the aircraft was thoroughly checked, no suspicious individuals were found, and the airplane was subsequently cleared for further operations.
In an official statement, SriLankan Airlines confirmed that Flight UL 122, operated by aircraft 4R-ALS, was subjected to a comprehensive security search upon its arrival in Colombo.
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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.
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Business Standard
an hour ago
- Business Standard
Mumbai locals to have automatic doors, says railways as four die after fall
Mumbai locals to have automatic doors, says railways as four die after fall The Railway Board has decided that all new suburban trains in Mumbai will be equipped with automatic doors, while existing rakes will also be retrofitted with the system, a senior railway official confirmed on Monday. The announcement follows a fatal incident near Mumbra railway station in Maharashtra's Thane district during peak hours, where four people lost their lives and nine others were injured after falling from two overcrowded local trains. Collision on curve during peak travel hours According to police, the two local trains were crossing each other on a sharp curve when the accident occurred. Many commuters were hanging from the doors, and their backpacks reportedly brushed against each other, leading to a collision that caused several passengers to fall onto the tracks. The guard on the Kasara-bound train alerted officials to the incident. Emergency services rushed the victims to nearby hospitals, where four were declared dead on arrival. Victims and eyewitness accounts The deceased have been identified as Ketan Saroj, Rahul Gupta, Mayur Shah, and Vicky Mukhyad, a constable with the Thane Government Railway Police. Swapnil Dhanraj Nila, Chief Public Relations Officer of Central Railway, confirmed that all the victims had been standing on the footboards of packed compartments. One injured commuter recounted that the passengers fell after those on the footboards of both trains collided during the curve. Around 7.5 million commuters rely on Mumbai's local trains daily. Political response and public outcry Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis confirmed that an investigation is underway. Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said that support is being extended to the families of the victims, while Deputy CM Ajit Pawar highlighted the urgent need to address chronic overcrowding and safety issues in the city's suburban rail network. Responding to public outrage, Shinde stated, 'A high-powered Railways committee will investigate the matter. The truth will come out, and if anyone is found guilty, strict action will be taken.' Opposition leaders criticise government Congress leader Rahul Gandhi expressed condolences to the victims' families and used the occasion to criticise the Centre. In a post on X, he wrote, 'While the Modi Government is celebrating 11 years of service, the reality of the country is reflected in the tragic news from Mumbai… Indian Railways is the backbone of the lives of crores of people, but today it has become a symbol of insecurity, congestion and chaos.' He added, '11 years of Modi government = no accountability, no change, only propaganda.' Sharad Pawar, chief of the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar), also called for safety upgrades. 'The Central Railway should increase local trains on important routes. Necessary measures should be implemented immediately for the safety of passengers. It is well known that the increased crowding in local trains is the main reason. After such accidents, it is not right to blame the passengers for their deaths,' he said. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi offered a sharp rebuke to railway authorities. 'The Railways should just shut up about what they are planning to do because none of them have been delivered as far as Mumbai local trains are concerned. These are not deaths by overcrowding but murders executed by an apathetic Reel Minister and the government of Maharashtra,' she posted on X.
The Print
3 hours ago
- The Print
Mumbra train tragedy: Call for automated doors, more trains after at least 4 dead due to overcrowding
Speaking to the media, Central Railway Chief Public Relations Officer Swapnil Nila said that the guard of the Kasara-bound train reported at 9.30 am that some injured passengers were lying along the tracks near the control room at CSMT. He, however, did not know from which train the passengers had fallen. The Central Railway officials said that prima facie, the passengers on the footboard of the down train towards Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) collided with those standing on the footboard of a Kasara-bound train headed in the opposite direction on the parallel track. Mumbai: At least four passengers died, whereas over a dozen suffered injuries after falling off a crowded moving train near Mumbra station in Thane district Monday morning. Visiting the site later, Shiv Sena MP Shrikant Shinde said that at least five people died in the incident even as the police said four people died. At least a dozen persons injured in the incident are now under treatment at different hospitals in Mumbra and Thane. 'It is not a collision of trains. People travelling on the footboard of a local train towards Kasara and those similarly travelling on a train going towards CSMT collided with each other and fell,' he said. 'The distance between the two trains was 1.5-2 metres, but at curves, a slight tilt happens, which could have been another reason for the incident.' According to railway officials, the train was overcrowded, and hence, people stood on footboards. A police team and railway officials immediately rushed to the spot, and an investigation is currently underway. How to prevent such accidents The railways, soon after the incident, decided to provide automated doors for all new and existing Mumbai suburban train rakes shortly, Swapnil Nila told the media. Currently, the Mumbai suburban trains have open doors. Many passengers during peak hours stand on the footboard. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said to the media, 'The incident in which a total of eight passengers fell from a local train between the Diva and Mumbra stations, resulting in some fatalities, is extremely unfortunate. I offer my heartfelt condolences to the deceased.' He added: 'The local administration is coordinating efforts on the ground. I pray to god for the swift recovery of the injured. The railway department has initiated an investigation to determine the exact cause of the incident.' Speaking to the media, MP Shrikant Shinde acknowledged that many people now lived in Kalyan on the Dombivali side. With that, he said, 'The availability of trains needs to go up and should be done quickly.' There have been sharp political reactions to the incident. Congress state president Harshwardhan Sapkal, in a statement to the media, said, '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.' '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.' Shiv Sena UBT and NCP(SP) have expressed anguish over the incident, too. Sharad Pawar, in an X post, said that the growing population of Mumbai needed appropriate facilities. 'On an average 6-7 people die every day after falling off from local trains. It is not right to blame the passengers for this incident. Central Railway should plan well and take timely action against this. The trains on important routes should be increased. Fitting automated doors on trains should be done timely,' wrote Sharad Pawar. (Edited by Madhurita Goswami) Also Read: Railway engineers held for 'bribery'. CBI finds Rs 63 lakh cash, jewellery worth Rs 3.5 cr in raids
