Four dead, six injured after falling off moving local train in Thane

Mumbai: At least four commuters, including a GRP constable, died and six were injured after falling off a moving and overcrowded local train in Maharashtra's Thane district during the office rush hour on Monday morning, officials said.

The incident occurred between Diva and Kopar railway stations when the train was going towards Kasara, a police official said.

The passengers fell probably after commuters hanging from the footboard of two overcrowded trains and their backpacks brushed against each other as the trains passed in opposite directions, railway officials said without confirming the number of fatalities.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said the railway administration was probing the cause of the accident.

Deputy CM Eknath Shinde expressed sorrow over the incident and assured that all necessary steps were being taken to support the victims and their families.

The incident highlights the need to pay serious attention to overcrowding and passenger safety in the suburban railway system, Deputy CM Ajit Pawar said.

A police official said that as there was a huge rush during the peak hour, many people were standing at the doors of the train.

While the train was in motion, at least 10 passengers fell down, the official said.

The guard of a train going towards Kasara alerted the railway authorities about the incident, he said.

All the passengers who fell were rushed to hospitals. Four of them were declared dead on arrival, the official said.

The deceased have been identified as Ketan Saroj, Rahul Gupta, Mayur Shah and Thane Government Railway Police (GRP) constable Vicky Mukhyad, he said.

The six injured comprised four men and two women, the police said.

The Central Railway's chief public relations officer Swapnil Nila told reporters that eight passengers were found on the railway tracks.

The guard of a Kasara-bound fast local train reported the incident to their control room at around 9.30 am. All the injured persons were rushed to hospital in ambulances by 9.50 am, the official said.

Nila said an injured person informed that commuters fell from local trains travelling in opposite directions after some of those standing on the footboards collided against each other.

He refuted reports that the passengers fell from the Lucknow-bound Pushpak Express which left from the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) in south Mumbai at around 8.30 am.

CM Fadnavis in a post on X said, "It is very unfortunate that a total of eight passengers fell from a local train between Diva-Mumbra station and some of them lost their lives. The railway administration is probing the cause of the accident."

Deeply pained by the incident where 8 passengers fell from a local train between Diva and Mumbra stations, unfortunately leading to loss of lives. I offer my deepest condolences to the bereaved families. We stand with them in this difficult time.
The injured passengers had been…

— Devendra Fadnavis (@Dev_Fadnavis) June 9, 2025

The injured were immediately admitted to Shivaji Hospital and Thane General Hospital, he said.

Fadnavis said the local administration is coordinating, and he hopes that the injured get relief soon.

Deputy CM Pawar termed the accident as "unfortunate" and "distressing".

"The deaths highlight the need to pay serious attention to overcrowding and passenger safety in the suburban railway system," he said.

"I am confident that the railway administration will soon take concrete steps to make suburban train services more effective and safe," he said.

Deputy CM Shinde said he was deeply saddened by the incident.

The state government would gather detailed information about the incident and ensure the injured receive immediate medical assistance, he said emphasising that "saving lives is the top priority".

He also assured that financial aid would be provided to the families of those who lost their lives.

Responding to concerns over inadequate facilities for Mumbai commuters despite their significant contribution to the Indian Railways' revenue, Shinde said, "A high-powered committee of the Indian Railways will investigate the matter. The truth will come out, and if anyone is found guilty, strict action will be taken."

"Thousands of passengers travel on this route every morning. This is a very sad incident. I share the grief of families of the deceased," a statement from Shinde's office quoted him as saying.

Earlier in the day, Shiv Sena Lok Sabha member from Thane, Naresh Mhaske demanded a probe into the death of passengers.

"The cause of the incident needs to be addressed. How did they fall...was there a crowd, were they pushed, was there a fight," he told a regional news channel.

Mhaske said, "One can understand if it was a crowded local train. But in this case, the tragedy happened in a moving express train. The administration also needs to be alert."

Leader of Opposition in the state legislative council Ambadas Danve in a post on X said the incident of so many people suddenly getting out of the Pushpak Express and resulting in the accident is heartbreaking and serious.

मुंबईत घडलेला रेल्वे अपघात हा रेल्वे सुरक्षेवर प्रश्नचिन्ह निर्माण करणारा आहे. #वंदेभारत चा रेटा लावणाऱ्या सरकारला आपल्या देशात अन्य साधारण गाड्याही रुळावरून धावतात याचे बहुदा ध्यान राहिलेले नाही. जखमींना अराम मिळावा ही प्रार्थना. या कठीण प्रसंगात आम्ही या घटनेतील पीडित व…

— Ambadas Danve (@iambadasdanve) June 9, 2025

This incident raises questions about railway safety in Mumbai, he said.

Thane district railway users association president Om Prakash Sharma said he has been repeatedly asking the railway authorities and writing letters to them to address the issue overcrowding in the suburban trains, but nothing has been done.