Nine injured in stampede at Mumbai’s Bandra Terminus
In view of the upcoming Diwali and Chhath festivals, over 1,000 passengers had arrived to board an unreserved 22-bogey train to Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh.
At least nine people were injured in a stampede at Mumbai’s Bandra Terminus station on Sunday, reported The Indian Express.
In view of the upcoming Diwali and Chhath festivals, over 1,000 passengers arrived to board the unreserved 22-bogey Gorakhpur-bound Antyodaya Express, reported NDTV. Several passengers rushed to board the train while it was still moving.
Following this, Western Railway Chief Public Relations Officer Vineet Abhishek stated that the injured passengers were admitted to the government-run Bhabha Hospital.
Abhishek stated that the condition of all injured persons is normal. However, according to media reports, two injured passengers are in critical condition. They have been identified as 18-year-old Mohammad Shaikh and 19-year-old Indrajith Sahani, reported The Indian Express.
Other injured passengers were identified as Shabhir Abdul Rehman, 40, Parmeshwar Sukhdar Gupta, 28, Ravindra Harihar Chuma, 30, Ramsevak Ravindra Prasad Prajapati, 29, Sanjay Tilakram Kangay, 27, Divyanshu Yogendra Yadav, 18, and Mohammad Shareef Shaikh, 25, reported The Hindu.
Western Railway authorities said they had launched an investigation to determine the cause of overcrowding and evaluate platform management protocols to prevent future incidents.
To accommodate the rush of passengers ahead of Diwali and Chhath, over 130 special trains are being operated, particularly to Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, according to the railways.
Later on Sunday, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) leader Aaditya Thackeray criticised Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, stating that the stampede reflected how “incapable” he is.
“The BJP [Bharatiya Janata Party] has made Ashwini Vaishnav ji, a prabhari [in-charge] for BJP Maharashtra for elections, but every week there are some incidents and accidents that occur with the railways,” said Thackeray. “Such a shame that our country has been forced under such incapable ministers.”