Nine people were injured in a stampede at Mumbai's Bandra Terminus on Sunday morning, said the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation. The stampede occured at 5.56 am on platform number 1 of the Bandra Terminus, said an official from the civic body, adding that there was a rush for boarding train 22921 Bandra-Gorakhpur Express.
The platform witnessed a surge in footfall in view of the upcoming festivals of Diwali and Chhath when a large number of people travel to their native places. Several passengers rushed to board the unreserved train when it was being brought on a platform, reported PTI.
All the injured passengers have been shifted to a hospital, the official added.
The injured persons have been 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), Mohammad Shareef Shaikh (25), Indrajith Sahani (19) and Noor Mohammad Shaikh (18), according to the official, reported PTI.
'Wish Reel Minister Was Rail Minister'
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray slammed railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw over the incident saying the BJP has made him incharge for elections in the state but every week there are instances of mishap with the Railways.
"Wish the reel minister was a rail minister for once. The incident at Bandra only reflects how incapable the current Railways Minister is," Thackeray said in a post on X. "The BJP has made Ashwini Vaishnav ji, a prabhari for bjp Maharashtra for elections, but every week there are some incidents and accidents that occur with the railways. Such a shame that our country has been forced under such incapable ministers," he added.
Another Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut also attacked the Bharatiya Janata Party's government at Centre and Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the incident saying such instances have been on a rise since PM Modi's government came into power for the third time.
"Since the time the PM Modi's government has come into power for the third time, these incidents have been happening," Raut said while speaking to reporters.
"They talk about Bullet train, high-speed train but the ground reality is different. It’s Sunday and still many people got injured in the stampede. Isn’t it the duty of the railway minister to take care of this," he questioned.
Congress leader Rashid Alvi also targeted the Maharashtra and Central government, saying there is a "jungle-raj" in the state. "They say that everything will be good in a double-engine govt but, but there is a double-engine govt in Maharashtra. Railways are under them, and law & order are under them, despite that such incidents are happening with passengers, who will trust railways and Maharashtra? I condemn this incompetent govt of Maharashtra," he added.