In a tragic reminder of the daily dangers faced by Mumbai’s suburban rail commuters, five people were killed and eight others injured after falling off two overcrowded local trains during the morning rush hour between Diva and Kopar railway stations in Thane district on Monday.
The incident occurred at around 9:30am when two packed trains—one bound for Kasara and the other for Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT)—were passing each other on a steep curve near Mumbra. Officials said that many commuters were standing on the footboards, and their backpacks brushed against each other, causing some to lose balance and fall onto the tracks.
Thane government railway police (GRP) confirmed that the deceased include 23-year-old Ketan Saroj from Ulhasnagar, Railway Police constable Vicky Mukhyad (34), Rahul Gupta, and one unidentified male.
Nine others, including two women, sustained injuries and were rushed to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Hospital in Kalwa and Jupiter Hospital in Thane. Among the critically injured are 23-year-old Shiva Gawli and 40-year-old Anil More. Others injured include Aadesh Bhoir, Rihan Sheikh, Manish Saroj, Tushar Bhagat, and Machhindra Gotarne, all of whom are reportedly stable. Two women, Sneha Dhonde and Priyanka Bhatia, were also admitted with minor injuries.
An eyewitness told police that overcrowding was the primary cause. “Passengers were hanging from the doors due to the massive crowd. When Pushpak Express passed from the opposite track, some of the local train passengers were hit and thrown onto the tracks,” he says.
According to officials, the accident was first reported by the guard of the Kasara-bound train. “Primary information indicates that passengers on footboards collided as the trains passed each other. The incident is deeply unfortunate,” said Dr Swapnil Nila, chief public relations officer (CPRO) of Central Railway.
In
a post on X, the divisional railway manager (DRM) for Central Railway says, “The cause of this unfortunate incident is under investigation. The train operations remain unaffected. Senior railway officials are closely monitoring the situation.”
Maharashtra chief minister (CM) Devendra Fadnavis called the accident 'extremely unfortunate' and expressed condolences to the bereaved families. “We share in their grief. Immediate treatment is being given to the injured. The railway department has begun an inquiry,” he says.
Reacting swiftly to the public outcry, the railway board announced that all new suburban train rakes in Mumbai would be equipped with automatic door-closing mechanisms. “Existing rakes in service will also be retrofitted with door closure systems,” says Dilip Kumar, executive director (information & publicity of the railway board.
Despite this announcement, the deaths have triggered a wave of political reactions and criticism across party lines. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi condemned the government, calling the incident a “grim reflection of insecurity, congestion, and chaos” in the railway system. “While the Modi government is celebrating 11 years of ‘service’, commuters are dying on tracks,” Mr Gandhi posted on X.
NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar demanded urgent implementation of safety measures like automatic doors and increased frequency of trains. “After such accidents, it is not right to blame the passengers for their deaths. The system must change,” he posted.
Meanwhile, MNS chief Raj Thackeray controversially blamed the growing influx of migrants into Mumbai for the strain on the city’s railway infrastructure.
NCP (SP) leader Jitendra Awhad dismissed the door-closure proposal as impractical, suggesting it could worsen overcrowding and suffocate passengers.
At the site of the accident, local services were briefly disrupted as emergency crews rushed to clear the tracks. Videos circulating on social media showed passengers falling and being pulled onto platforms, bloodied and with torn clothes, sparking outrage and sorrow across the city.
Every day, Mumbai’s local trains carry more than 7.5mn (million) passengers, many of whom travel precariously on footboards due to chronic overcrowding. Monday’s incident is not the first of its kind—but it adds to a growing toll of avoidable deaths in the city’s overburdened transit system.
As public anger mounts, families mourn and the injured recover, the spotlight once again falls on an age-old issue—when will India’s financial capital receive a local train system worthy of the millions who keep it moving?
