Stampede in Mumbai’s Elphinstone Road Railway Station kills 22
29 Sep 2017
At least 22 people died and 33 others sustained injuries in a stampede on a foot overbridge at Mumbai's Elphinstone Railway Station, on the Western Railway's suburban section, at around 9:30 am.
Mumbai Municipal Corporation's disaster management squad said a total of 55 casualties have been reported in Elphinstone Road stampede, out of which 33 people were injured (24 male and 9 female), 22 dead (14 male, 8 female).
The incident occurred at the north foot overbridge of Elphinstone Railway Station when commuters panicked upon hearing that the bridge is collapsing, reports quoting eye witnesses said.
Some reports said a short circuit led to overcrowding on the bridge.
The Elphinstone Road station is accessed by several commuters as the nearest access point to Parel station on the Central Railway's suburban section and vice versa.
Traffic on the narrow six-foot wide bridge has of late increased as the station is also the nearest access point for the newly developed business district of Lower Parel.
It was raining heavily and a rush to catch trains led to overcrowding on the narrow foot-overbridge. Rumours that led to a panic resulted in a stampede on the staircase that exits from the foot-overbridge, local residents said.
''We saw several people falling off the staircase,'' said one commuter.
Police reached the spot while the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation's disaster management unit said agencies have been mobilised to tackle the situation.
An Indian Railway Accident Relief Medical Equipment Train was rushed to the accident spot and began providing immediate medical assistance. Senior railway officers had also rushed to the site.
The injured have been taken to KEM hospital.
CM Devendra Fadnavis said the Maharashtra government will conduct an enquiry into the incident and strict action will be taken for any lapses.
The government also announced compensation of Rs5 lakh each to theb kin of those dead. The state government will bear medical expenses of injured, state minister Vinod Tawde said.
State chief secretary and commissioner of police have been asked to reach the hospital to monitor and ensure that everyone gets all the help, the chief minister said.
Railway minister Piyush Goyal has ordered a high-level enquiry headed by the chief safety officer of Western Raoilway.
PM Narendra Modi expressed sadness in the loss of lives in the stampede in Mumbai.
