The agitation by railway employees that disrupted Mumbai’s suburban train services on Thursday has sparked outrage among commuter associations, who have condemned the strike as illegal and demanded strict action under the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA). Commuter groups are now also demanding a transparent probe into the Mumbra incident and Thursday’s rail accident, in which two people died and three were injured, as well as strict action against those responsible for paralyzing the city’s lifeline.

Madhu Kotian, President of the Mumbai Railway Pravasi Sangh, criticized the railway worker union’s actions, calling the disruption “illegal and irresponsible.” He said, “The railway union’s agitation was illegal. They illegally stopped local trains for hours. ESMA should be applied to the agitators.” Kotian also accused the union of unfairly targeting commuters, who had no role in the ongoing Mumbra investigation. “Whenever anything happens to a railway employee, the union reacts immediately. Why did they target commuters?” he asked.

He further alleged that railway authorities routinely ignore commuter safety concerns. “Whenever an accident occurs, the railway forms a committee comprising only senior officers. No one questions their reports, and they always protect their employees,” Kotian added.

Echoing similar sentiments, Siddhesh Desai, Vice President of the Mumbai Pravasi Sangh, said, “Everyone has a right to protest, but during Thursday’s agitation, the railway employees’ union targeted the public. They stopped essential services, yet no one was arrested.” Desai pointed out that the Government Railway Police (GRP) had filed an FIR in the Mumbra incident based on a report by the Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute (VJTI). “The railway is trying to hide something and put pressure on the GRP,” he alleged. Desai added that his organization, the Mumbai Pravasi Sangh, is planning to meet Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to discuss the issue.

Lata Argade, Secretary of the Suburban Railway Pravasi Mahasangh, also demanded legal action against the agitators. “Our organization met the Divisional Railway Manager and the General Manager, demanding that a case be filed against the agitators. The preliminary investigation regarding the Mumbra incident might reveal many things. The engineers were responsible, and instead of cooperating, they started an agitation,” she said.

Lata Argade further added that she wants a fresh investigation of the Mumbai rail tragedy by a retired judge, and also wants a job for a relative of the deceased in the Mumbai accident.

“It is absolutely incorrect. The committee appointed by the railways to look into the incident should present its impartial report, and then action should be taken based on that. Going on a sudden strike is irresponsible and cruel,” said Rishi Aggrawal, a transport expert.

Jitendra Vishe, General Secretary of the Railways Passengers Association Federation, said, “The Railways must ensure smooth and uninterrupted travel for all passengers. Strict action should be taken against those who stopped the train and disrupted services.”

Similarly, Mansoor Darvesh, a commuter rights activist, stated, “The authorities seem to be taking passengers for granted and resorting to emotional blackmail to press their demands. Such actions are unacceptable and set a wrong precedent. The railway authorities should take firm action against those responsible.”

Passenger activist and rail accident victim Samir Zaveri said, “The Government Railway Police has registered an FIR, supported by prima facie evidence, against two railway engineers in connection with the tragic deaths of five passengers during the incident that occurred at Mumbra on June 9. While there are legal remedies available for the accused to challenge the criminal charges through due court procedures, on November 6, 2025, members of the Railway Employees Union organized a protest and obstructed the departure of suburban trains from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) for approximately one hour in an attempt to exert pressure on the authorities.”

Zaveri further added, “This illegal disruption resulted in the unfortunate deaths of two passengers and injuries to three others near Sandhurst Road Railway Station. The railway administration should fix accountability for this misconduct and take strict departmental action, including dismissal from service, against those responsible for organizing and participating in the unlawful protest that endangered public safety. Furthermore, the Railway Police need to register an FIR under relevant criminal laws, including provisions of the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA), against the railway employees responsible for holding up train operations.”

Regular commuters also expressed anger over the repeated accidents and poor safety measures. Megha Sood, who travels daily from Dombivli to South Mumbai, said, “Travelling by train, especially on the Central line, is very difficult. People are dying, yet the railway authorities don’t seem to be taking it seriously. I demand a fair investigation into both the Mumbra and Sandhurst Road incidents.”

Commuter Rakesh Sherlekar, who travels daily from Badlapur to CSMT, questioned the railway’s preparedness and accountability. “People have been dying while travelling by train, but the railway administration is not taking it seriously. Even a delay of just two minutes can create chaos as crowds swell on platforms,” he said.

Thursday’s agitation, triggered by an FIR filed against railway engineers in connection with the Mumbra mishap, brought Central Railway services to a halt, stranding thousands of passengers.

However, when contacted, a senior railway official stated that although the workers were upset for certain reasons, they were able to resolve the issue promptly through discussion.

According to sources, over the past few decades, motormen have repeatedly resorted to such actions, often with the aim of protecting their interests. However, keeping in mind the unity of the workers, the railway administration thinks carefully several times before taking any strict measures.

Mumbai: The Dahisar Police arrested retired assistant sub-inspector (ASI) Sanjay Jagtap for his alleged role in clearing a forged passport application while serving in the passport verification branch in 2023. Jagtap, who retired on October 31, was taken into custody on November 5 after the arrest of three other accused, Satish Dhakane, Nilesh Tiwari and Pankaj Kumar Singh, in connection with the same case. After spending two days in police custody, he was remanded to judicial custody on November 7.

According to police officials, the case revolves around Rajendra alias Rajinder alias Jinder Guru Vachansingh, a notorious narcotics offender with cases registered against him in Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan. Convicted in one of those cases, Vachansingh was released on medical grounds in 2023 and later shifted to Mumbai, where he began residing in Dahisar with his wife Baljit Kaur and their seven-year-old daughter in a rented flat.

Vachansingh, with the help of Dhakane, Tiwari and Singh, fabricated identity documents, including Aadhaar cards and supporting papers, to apply for passports for himself and his family. Despite the forged nature of these documents, which claimed to have been issued in 2021, when Vachansingh was actually in jail, ASI Jagtap approved the verification and forwarded the applications without proper scrutiny.

The fraud came to light only after Vachansingh managed to obtain his passport and flee the country. Later, the Haryana Police intercepted a four-kilogram heroin consignment and arrested two individuals connected to Vachansingh’s network. During interrogation, the accused revealed that Vachansingh had resumed his narcotics operations abroad and was supplying contraband from outside India.

Further investigation by the Haryana Police traced the passport used by Vachansingh back to Mumbai, leading them to alert their counterparts in Dahisar. Upon verification, it was confirmed that the passport had been cleared based on forged documents, implicating Jagtap and his accomplices.

Later, the Dahisar Police registered a case in March 2025 against the four accused under Sections 420 (cheating), 465 (forgery), 467 (forgery of valuable security), 468 (forgery for cheating), 471 (using forged documents) and 120(B) (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code, along with Section 12 of the Passport Act, 1967.

Mumbai: Mumbai woke up on Saturday morning to sunny skies masked by a thick layer of smog, leaving its iconic skyline blurred and hazy. From Marine Drive to Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC), a grey veil hung over the city, signalling a return of pollution after a brief spell of cleaner air.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported that although clear skies would persist through the day, visibility had dropped in the early hours due to the smog. Temperatures are expected to remain stable, with daytime highs around 31°C and minimums near 22°C.

Just earlier this week, Mumbaikars enjoyed crisp, cleaner air following a short but intense spell of rain, which had temporarily washed away pollutants and offered relief from humidity. However, the respite proved short-lived as the city’s Air Quality Index (AQI) plummeted dramatically, reaching an alarming 263 on Friday, categorised as unhealthy.

In a welcome shift, air quality showed improvement on Saturday, according to data from AQI.in. The city’s overall AQI dropped to 79, placing it in the moderate category. While haze remained visible, the reduced pollution levels brought some relief to residents after Friday’s severe smog.

Among monitoring stations, Colaba recorded the highest AQI at 98, followed by Bandra East (97) and Wadala Truck Terminal (95), all still in the moderate range. Other areas such as BKC (93) and Bhandup West (88) also reported readings that, while not ideal, marked a clear improvement from the previous day.

Relatively cleaner air was detected in a few western suburbs. Parel-Bhoiwada reported an AQI of 67, while Jogeshwari (70), Bandra (72), Juhu (72), and Malad West (72) all fell within the moderate bracket. This widespread dip in particulate matter levels suggests a temporary but positive change in local weather conditions and wind movement that helped disperse pollutants.

According to AQI.in’s classification, readings between 0–50 are considered “Good,” 51–100 “Moderate,” 101–150 “Poor,” 151–200 “Unhealthy,” and anything above 200 “Severe” or “Hazardous.”