Though Railways has announced special trains for Diwali, it seems that they are not sufficient to meet the public demand. The stampede at the Bandra station revealed this.

A stampede at Mumbai’s Bandra Terminus injured nine passengers yesterday as crowds tried to board a train bound for Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh.

The incident, attributed to the pre-Diwali rush, unfolded around 3 am. At that time, a massive number of passengers gathered at Platform 1.

The weekly Gorakhpur Express, an unreserved train, had been rescheduled to depart at 5:10 a.m., but delays caused the train to arrive later than planned.

As crowds surged, eager to secure seats, the intense rush led to a stampede in the general compartment area.

Among the injured, seven passengers are reportedly in stable condition, while two sustained critical injuries.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) confirmed the situation is under control. It also said that all injured have been taken to Bhabha Hospital for treatment.

Visuals captured chaotic scenes, with Railway Police personnel and other passengers assisting the wounded.

A Railway Police officer is seen carrying an injured passenger on his shoulder in a video.

At the same time, many other images show passengers lying on the floor with blood-stained clothing, being quickly attended to by police and bystanders. The stampede occurred as over 1,000 people crowded the 22-coach train.

Some passengers attempted to board while the train was still in motion, which led to two individuals being hurt.

Medical sources revealed one passenger suffered a spinal fracture, while others sustained leg fractures. Fortunately, two of the injured have since been discharged.

Approximately 50 police personnel were stationed on Platform 1 to manage the growing crowd, though the situation escalated rapidly.

Additional visuals captured distressed passengers and volunteers using makeshift stretchers to help transport the injured.

The BMC continues to monitor the situation closely, urging passengers to maintain patience and caution during peak travel periods.

Image Credit: ideepakmathur, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Image Reference: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bandra_East_Railway_Station_1.jpg