Stampede at Mumbai's Bandra terminus: Chaos and crowds collide amid festive rush, videos go viral
Mumbai (PTI): Chaos and cacophony reigned at Western Railway's heavily-patronised Bandra Terminus on Sunday morning after a mass of people tried to board a moving train to reach their native places for Diwali and Chhath, leaving nine injured, many becoming the subject of harrowing social media videos.
The incident took place around 2:45 am when passengers rushed to board the unreserved 22921 Bandra-Gorakhpur Antyodaya Express while it was moving into platform number 1 from Bandra Terminus yard.
While scheduled departure of the 22-coach train was at 5:10am, officials said during such festival rush passengers often scurry to occupy seats as quickly as possible since there is no reservation.
Videos that flooded social media since morning showed people running and shouting, and some passengers injured and bloodied.
One video showed a man with blood oozing out of his wounds, while another injured passenger lay next to him. Shockingly, several people were seen boarding the compartment even as a passenger with a leg injury lay by the door.
Another video doing the rounds of social media showed a Railway Protection Force constable carrying an injured passenger on his shoulder, while another personnel was seen ferrying a passenger to the hospital in a makeshift cloth stretcher.
Amid the chaos, local residents and those present on other platforms were also seen in several videos helping the injured persons.
Incidentally, civic officials said nine persons were injured and identified them 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.
Police said Sahani and Noor Mohammad Shaikh had been rushed to nearby Bhabha Hospital in a critical condition.
However, a statement from Western Railway said two persons were injured.
The statement also informed that 130 festival special trains were being run to various destinations, especially in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, in view of the upcoming Diwali and Chhath festivals.
In all, these special trains will make 2,300 trips from Mumbai Central and Bandra in the metropolis, as well as Valsad and Udhna in neighbouring Gujarat, the WR statement added.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Those rejected by people trying to control Parliament: PM Modi
New Delhi (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday slammed the opposition, saying those who were rejected by people 80-90 times were trying to control Parliament by resorting to hooliganism for their own political gains.
Addressing reporters ahead of the start of the Winter Session of Parliament, Modi said such handful of people did not succeed in their intentions but people of the country observed their actions and punished them at an appropriate time.
Modi's remarks came days after the BJP-led coalition won the Maharashtra Assembly elections by a landslide, bagging 235 seats and relegating the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi to a distant 49 seats in the 288-member House.
Earlier, the BJP registered a surprise third consecutive victory in the Haryana polls, trouncing the Congress, which was billed as a pre-poll favourite.
"There should be a healthy debate in the Parliament but, unfortunately, certain individuals are trying to control Parliament for their own political gains, resorting to disruptions and chaos," Modi said.
"Though their tactics ultimately fail, the people watch their behaviour closely and deliver justice when the time comes," he added.
Modi said he had been repeatedly urging opposition colleagues, and some also agreed that Parliament should function smoothly.
"But those who have been continuously rejected by the public ignore the words of their colleagues and disrespect their sentiments and that of democracy," the prime minister said.
The Winter Session of Parliament began on Monday and is scheduled to continue till December 20.
