Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai (SR)
Mumbai, Jul 17: In separate cases of stone pelting on Central Railway local trains on Tuesday, five passengers were injured. A junior college student Rajesh Pawar, was among those who were seriously injured in the incident. Rajesh is a class XII student at a Bandra-based college and was headed home to Ghatkopar in a Khopoli train.
As reported in TOI, Rajesh's mother said, "He was standing a little away from the coach entrance. Around 3.50 pm, when the train was near a bridge between Kurla and Vidyavihar stations, a stone flung from outside brushed a commuter before it struck Rajesh on the head above his left eye. He bled profusely from the head injury and his clothes were covered in blood. Co-travellers helped him get off at Ghatkopar station and alerted cops." Rajesh was rushed to a hospital in Kurla where he was administered four stitches.
Another passenger Ajay Kahar, 23, was struck with a stone at the same location near the bridge where Rajesh was hit. Kahar, a resident of Titwala reportedly received a head injury. Ratandeep Chandanshive was targeted between Kurla and Vidyavihar stations at 3.45pm. He was injured on his left elbow. Devilal Badaria, 34 a Chembur resident was travelling between Sion and Kurla stations around 4.30 pm when a stone hit him on the nose. "He suffered a laceration on his nose and will need stitches," said a doctor from Sion Hospital where Badaria is admitted.
Tausif Khan, 32, a Trombay resident, was the fifth victim of stone pelting on Central Railway trains on Monday. He was travelling between Kurla and Tilak Nagar stations when a stone struck him on the stomach and caused an injury. Massive security deployment was arranged on the tracks in the Dadar-Kanjurmarg section. One person was detained by the GRP late on Tuesday.
A central Railway spokesperson told TOI, 'We are in the process of installing CCTVs in the Kanjurmarg-Ghatkopar section and Ghatkopar-Vidyavihar section. Sixteen Railway Protection Special Force (RPSF) personnel have been deployed for track patrolling, besides special teams in plain clothes. Awareness programmes are being carried out in vulnerable areas and meetings are being held with slum residents. Drives against trespassers are being stepped up and joint operations with GRP and city police are being conducted for detection.''
On July 8, four other commuters were injured in separate stone pelting incidents in the Sion-Vikhroli belt and two FIRs were lodged by Kurla GRP, but the culprits are yet to be arrested.