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Thane Central Railway Deputy Commissioner Manoj Nana Patil on Sunday attributed the stampede at Bandra Terminus to increased passenger rush due to the festive season and the unreserved nature of the train.
Despite the Central Railway's announcement of two unreserved trains departing from Mumbai, Deputy Commissioner Patil noted that the influx of passengers for the special train affected the Antyodaya Express, creating an overwhelming crowd that led to a stampede. "Antyodaya Express is a weekly train that runs every Sunday. Being unreserved and affordable, it usually attracts a high number of passengers. Due to the Diwali festival, the rush was unusually high. Additionally, the special train scheduled to run yesterday did not arrive, resulting in even more passengers converging here. Our team was present, but people suddenly rushed for seats. No one was critically injured in the incident... We are investigating the facts," Manoj Nana Patil said. At least eight individuals were reported injured in the stampede at Bandra Terminus today, according to an official statement by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). The incident occurred around 02:45 hours, as passenger train number 22921 Antyodaya Express was slowly being brought onto platform number 1 from the BDTS yard. Some passengers on the platform attempted to board the moving train, leading to a fall that resulted in injuries to two individuals. In response, the RPF, GRP, and Home Guard officers on duty promptly admitted the injured to the Government Bhabha Hospital nearby. All injured passengers are now reported to be in stable condition, according to the medical team. Among the injured, five were admitted for treatment, while three opted to discharge themselves against medical advice (DAMA). Additionally, two patients were transferred to KEM Hospital for further care. The injured individuals are identified as Shabhir Abdul Rehman (40), Sameer Shaikh (22), Mohammad Shareef Shaikh (25), Parmeshwar Sukhdar Gupta (28), Ravindra Harihar Chuma (30), Ramsevak Ravindra Prasad Prajapati (29), Sanjay Tilakram Kangay (27), and Divyanshu Yogendra Yadav (18). Meanwhile, opposition leaders criticised the local administration and Indian Railways, citing inadequate festive season planning that led to the incident. "The stampede at Bandra Terminus is very disturbing... This highlights the failure of Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. Insufficient trains during the festive season and local administrative shortcomings contributed to this mishap," said NCP-SCP leader Clyde Crasto. (ANI)
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