A stampede occurred at Thane Railway Station on May 13th, 2023 after heavy rainfall and a sandstorm led to delays in local train services. The chaos ensued as passengers struggled to board a train outside the ladies’ compartment, leading to a stampede situation. Disturbing video footage captured the struggle of some women who fell on the platform and faced difficulty getting back up amidst the commotion.
The incident stemmed from earlier disruptions caused by the storm and heavy rains, which damaged overhead equipment between Thane and Mulund stations, resulting in the suspension of local train services for over two hours. The suspension, which began around 4:15 pm, caused significant inconvenience to commuters during the peak evening rush hours, with services only resuming around 6:45 pm.
The disruption at Thane Railway Station was not an isolated incident, as the Mumbai city along with adjoining areas of Thane, Kalyan, and Palghar experienced the brunt of the heavy rain and sandstorm. In a separate incident in Mumbai’s Ghatkopar area, a 100-foot illegal billboard collapsed on a petrol pump at the Cheddanagar Junction, tragically resulting in the death of 14 people. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has reported that 74 people have been rescued with injuries so far. The Mumbai police have registered a case at Pantnagar police station under IPC 304, 338, 337, and 34 against the owner of the hoarding, Bhavesh Bhide, and others. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has initiated action to remove the remaining hoardings on Government Railway Police (GRP) land at Chheda Nagar, as the illegal hoarding that collapsed significantly exceeded the permissible size of 40×40 square feet, measuring 120×120 square feet. Incidents like these underscore the urgent need for effective disaster management and adherence to safety regulations to prevent such tragedies in the future.
