Tragic Stabbing Claims Life of Mumbai College Teacher in Local Train
In a shocking incident that has sent ripples through Mumbai, a college teacher was brutally stabbed to death inside a local train on Saturday evening. The victim, identified as Alok Kumar Singh, was heading home to celebrate his wife's birthday when a seemingly routine argument over alighting turned fatal.
Birthday Plans Turned Tragic
Alok Kumar Singh, a teacher at Narsee Monjee College in Vile Parle, had planned a special dinner outing with his wife Pooja to celebrate her birthday. After finishing work around 5 PM, he boarded a Borivli-slow local train from Andheri station with his colleague Sudhir Kumar Trivedi. Little did he know that this routine commute would end in tragedy.
The couple had been married for just two years and were saving diligently to purchase their own home. Pooja, who is currently pursuing her BEd degree and supplements their income through online tuitions, received the devastating news on Sunday morning after family members initially told her that her husband had been hospitalized following an accident.
The Fatal Argument
According to eyewitness accounts and the FIR filed in the case, the incident occurred as the train approached Malad station around 5:44 PM. Singh and the accused, later identified as Omkar Shinde, became embroiled in an argument about alighting from the crowded train.
"Malad aa raha hai. Malad utarna hai kya? Utarna hai toh aage chal," Shinde reportedly told Singh as the train approached the station. Singh responded, "Malad utarna hai, lekin aage ladies hai. Dikhta nahi kya?" indicating that he needed to alight but there were women ahead of him in the passage.
Witness Recounts Horrific Moments
Sudhir Kumar Trivedi, Singh's colleague and the prime witness to the attack, described the terrifying sequence of events. "Arguments among passengers are common in local trains and I've witnessed many fights, but had never imagined it could end in a stabbing incident," Trivedi told investigators.
Trivedi explained that just before the train reached Malad station, he had bid farewell to Singh and moved to one side to continue his journey. The accused was standing behind Singh, and their argument escalated quickly. When the train halted at platform 1, Singh suddenly grabbed a vertical rod and told Trivedi, "Isne pet mein kuch maar diya hai" - indicating he had been struck in the stomach.
Failed Pursuit and Medical Response
Trivedi immediately got off the train and briefly chased the assailant, but Shinde managed to escape by climbing a foot overbridge. Returning to the train, Trivedi found Singh bleeding profusely and stayed with him until police arrived. Railway officials transported Singh to Babasaheb Ambedkar Hospital in Kandivli between 6 PM and 6:05 PM, where doctors pronounced him dead at 6:15 PM.
Family and Institutional Response
Singh came from a family with strong educational roots, with several members including his sister and uncle working as teachers. His father, Anil Kumar, who serves in the security detail of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, rushed to Mumbai upon learning of the tragedy.
Narsee Monjee College officials expressed profound shock at the incident. The institution plans to hold a condolence meeting for Singh following the flag hoisting ceremony on Monday, honoring a teacher described by his wife as someone who "had never raised his voice or had a fight with anyone in his entire life."
The Mumbai Police have registered a case and are investigating the circumstances that led to this senseless violence during what should have been a routine commute home for a young teacher with bright prospects ahead.
