4 dead after falling off 2 trains in Maha’s Thane district

Four commuters died and nine were injured after falling off two overcrowded local trains in Maharashtra’s Thane district during the morning rush hour on Monday, officials said.

The incident occurred near Mumbra railway station when the trains were passing each other on a steep turn. The victims were travelling on the footboard of the two trains, one travelling towards Kasara and another towards Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, Mumbai.

The commuters were hanging from the doors of the crowded trains and their backpacks brushed against each other as the trains passed in opposite directions, the police said.

Those who fell off the trains were rushed to nearby hospitals, where four were declared dead on arrival. The Railway Ministry has decided to have automatic door closing facilities in coaches of all existing and new local trains for Mumbai Suburban, a senior official said.

Dilip Kumar, Executive Director, Information and Publicity, Railway Board, said that after the tragedy in Maharashtra, the Ministry has decided to have automatic door closure facilities in all local trains under manufacturing for Mumbai Suburban.

All rakes in service will also be redesigned and the door closure facility will be provided in these rakes of Mumbai Suburban, Kumar added.

Officials stressed that safety is Railway's top priority and all efforts are being taken to prevent such incidents from recurring. Around 75 lakh commuters travel daily by suburban trains in Mumbai, the official said.