Railway Protest Turns Deadly: Two Killed During Service Disruption
The Government Railway Police (GRP) has taken serious action against railway union members following a protest that turned fatal. An FIR has been registered against SK Dubey, Vivek Sisodia, and 30-40 members of the Central Railway Mazdoor Sangh (CRMS) for their involvement in a November 6 protest that severely disrupted railway services and led to tragic consequences.
The incident occurred during evening peak hours when protesters allegedly obstructed motormen, guards, and station managers from performing their duties. This one-hour disruption between 5:30 pm and 6:38 pm had catastrophic results, directly causing the deaths of two passengers and injuries to three others.
The Chain of Events That Led to Tragedy
According to GRP officials, the situation escalated when protesters locked the waiting room of motormen at CSMT station, effectively preventing them from operating local trains. The protestors went further by placing iron benches at the main doors of both the motormen's room and station manager's office, completely blocking access.
With local train services completely halted during the crucial evening commute, confusion spread among passengers. Hundreds of stranded commuters began disembarking from stationary trains and attempting to reach their destinations by walking along the railway tracks.
The tragedy struck near Sandhurst Road railway station when five passengers walking on the tracks were hit by an Ambernath-bound fast train. A 19-year-old girl and a 68-year-old Nagpur resident were killed instantly, while three others sustained serious injuries.
Legal Action and Ongoing Conflict
Police Sub-Inspector Mahesh Patil of the GRP became the official complainant in the case. The FIR has been registered under multiple sections including sections 189 (2), 190, 127 (2), 221, 223 of the BNS and sections 37 (1), and 135 of the Maharashtra Police Act.
This incident represents the latest escalation in an ongoing conflict between GRP and Central Railway officials. The tension began when GRP registered an FIR against two Central Railway officials on November 1 in connection with a separate incident in Mumbra earlier this year that resulted in five deaths.
The CRMS strike on November 6 was specifically organized to protest this earlier FIR, which union members described as an "unfair action" by the GRP. While members of the National Federation of Indian Railwaymen (NFIR) protested earlier in the day and left, CRMS members continued their demonstration, ultimately leading to the service disruption.
Railway services eventually resumed after 6:40 pm, but the damage had been done. The GRP investigation concluded that the strike was illegal and the act of blocking railway services was unacceptable, leading to the decision to register the case against the protesters.
