A 22-year-old man, Mayank Lohar, was stabbed to death by a co-passenger on a Mumbai local train on Tuesday night following a heated argument over whether the train doors should be kept open during the monsoon rain. The incident occurred on a Churchgate-Nallasopara fast local between Andheri and Borivali stations, marking the second such stabbing on the Western Railway suburban network this year.
Details of the Incident
The altercation began as the train pulled into Andheri station at 10:42 pm. According to officials, one of the men wanted the doors to remain open, while the other objected due to the rain. The argument escalated, and the accused, identified as Sachin Ramesh Suvarna (30), allegedly pulled out a sharp weapon known as a "sattu" and stabbed Lohar in the abdomen and chest. Suvarna, an employee at the Sahar Cargo complex of Mumbai airport, then jumped off the train at Borivali station before it came to a halt and fled.
Victim and Response
Lohar suffered grievous injuries and collapsed inside the first-class compartment. Government Railway Police (GRP) and Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel rushed him to a nearby medical facility. He was later transferred to a civic-run hospital, where doctors declared him dead. The Western Railway administration reported that the train reached Borivali at 11:04 pm, and emergency responders were at the coach within three minutes. Medical staff, a stretcher, and porters were mobilized, and the victim was brought to the station's emergency medical room at 11:22 pm. Following a doctor's examination, Lohar was transferred to Shatabdi Hospital in Kandivali by ambulance at 11:42 pm, accompanied by GRP and RPF personnel.
Investigation and Arrest
Senior railway officials visited Borivali station around 1 am to review the incident. The GRP formed seven investigation teams comprising officers from police stations and crime branches under the city's Western Zone. The teams scanned footage from over 400 CCTV cameras installed at Borivali, Andheri, Mira Road, and Nallasopara railway stations, as well as adjoining entry-exit points. Using technical intelligence and other inputs, the attacker was identified and tracked down to Panvel. Suvarna was arrested hours after the murder. According to a senior railway police official, Suvarna went home after the killing and told his father about the altercation. Around midnight, he left his house fearing arrest and had planned to leave Mumbai. The weapon used in the crime has not yet been recovered, and Suvarna's interrogation is ongoing.
Previous Incident
This stabbing is the second on the Western Railway suburban network in 2026. In February, Alok Singh, a 32-year-old lecturer at a Vile Parle college, was allegedly stabbed during an altercation while attempting to get off a train at Malad station. Police arrested the accused, Omkar Shinde, in that case.
