Maharashtra
Mumbai Local Train Tragedy: Former Central Railway GM Subodh Jain Blames Backpacks & Internal Crowd Pressure For Mumbra Mishap

Mumbai: The tragic incident near Mumbra station, where 13 passengers fell from a moving local train, has reignited serious concerns over safety in Mumbai’s suburban railway network. Former General Manager of Central Railway and ex-Member (Engineering) of the Railway Board, Subodh Jain, has weighed in on the mishap, blaming a combination of internal crowd force and the growing risk posed by bulky backpacks.
The accident occurred on Monday morning between Mumbra and Diva stations, triggering widespread outrage among daily commuters and rail users who have long complained about inadequate infrastructure, infrequent trains, and poor crowd control during peak hours.
Jain termed such mass-fall incidents as “extremely rare” but indicative of systemic failure. “An incident where multiple passengers fall simultaneously due to internal jostling is highly unusual and points to serious lapses in crowd management and train capacity planning,” he said.
He emphasized that it wasn’t an external collision or track-related issue but rather the intense internal pressure inside an overcrowded coach that likely pushed commuters out. “The overcrowding is such that even a small imbalance or movement can create a chain reaction,” Jain added.
The former top boss of Central Railway also flagged the unintentional danger posed by modern-day commuter habits, particularly the use of large and heavy backpacks. In overcrowded coaches, backpacks protruding from the bodies of standing passengers can inadvertently brush against those hanging at the train’s edge, causing them to lose balance. This risk multiplies when two packed trains pass each other at close range.
“Backpacks may seem harmless, but in a packed moving train, they can act as destabilizers. When a commuter is hanging at the edge and gets nudged by a backpack — even slightly — the result can be fatal,” he explained.
When asked about the track curvature at the accident site, Jain stated that although the curve may have worsened the situation, it cannot be regarded as the main cause of the incident
Jain also provided a technical breakdown of train spacing, noting that the minimum distance between two tracks in Mumbai’s suburban section is about 4.5 metres. With a train width of 3.66 metres and allowing 150 mm for dynamic sway, the remaining net clearance is approximately 690 mm. “This space is generally enough to accommodate the body sway of a standing or hanging passenger, provided the overcrowding remains limited to one direction,” he said.
However, Jain acknowledged that there are exceptions. Some narrow sections, such as the stretch between Masjid and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT), have reduced track gaps. In these high-risk areas, speed restrictions are already enforced to minimize risk.
Blaming the prolonged delay in crucial infrastructure projects like the 5th and 6th line corridors, which have remained stagnant for over a decade on both the Central and Western suburban railway systems, former Railway Board Member Subodh Jain stated that the expansion of the suburban network has been severely hampered. As a result, the level of overcrowding has significantly worsened.
Crime
Navi Mumbai Crime: 27-Year-Old Fake IAS Officer Posing As MEA Additional Commissioner Arrested In Airoli With Forged IDs

Navi Mumbai: Rabale Police have arrested a 27-year-old man for impersonating an IAS officer and posing as an Additional Commissioner in the Ministry of External Affairs. The accused, identified as Daniel David Waghmare, was nabbed in Airoli, where he had been projecting himself as a senior government official.
Forged Identity Cards And Visiting Cards Seized
Police seized forged identity cards of the Ministry of External Affairs and the Maharashtra Higher and Technical Education Department, along with fake visiting cards. Authorities suspect he duped multiple people using these documents. “He is being interrogated thoroughly,” said Senior Police Inspector Balkrishna Sawant.
According to police, Waghmare, a resident of Saptrashrungi Apartments, Sector-15, Airoli, created a false impression of being an IAS officer and was frequently invited as a chief guest at school and community events, including flag-hoisting ceremonies.
The case came to light after Mayur Patil, Vice President of the Airoli Assembly (Shiv Sena – Shinde faction), cross-checked Waghmare’s credentials. Patil’s younger brother revealed that Waghmare had actually worked under him at a call center. Patil then lodged a complaint with the Rabale police.
Initially, Waghmare even misled the police by claiming to be a senior official. However, further verification proved his documents were fake, leading to his arrest on charges of forgery and cheating.
Investigators also found that Waghmare had promoted himself on social media, posting congratulatory messages on his ‘appointment,’ photographs in government offices and vehicles, and even a video suggesting he held a diplomatic passport. After the arrest, he deleted most of these posts.
Police are now probing the extent of his activities and whether he cheated more people under the guise of being a high-ranking officer.
Maharashtra
Navi Mumbai Man Arrested For Burning Wife Alive Over Suspected Affair, Daughter Reveals Truth To Police

Thane: A man from Navi Mumbai allegedly burnt his 32-year-old wife to death over suspicion of having an extra-marital affair and tried to pass it off as a suicide, police said on Thursday.
Daughter Exposes Father’s Crime
However, his lies were nailed as the couple’s seven-year-old daughter, who apparently witnessed the incident, told the police that her father had set her mother on fire, they said.
The incident took place in the early hours of August 25 at Pagotegaon in Uran area and the accused, aged 35, was arrested the next day, they said.
The accused, Rajkumar Ramshiromani Sahu, suspected his wife Jagrani Rajkumar Sahu of having an extra-marital affair, Uran police station’s senior inspector Hanif Mulani told PTI.
He allegedly tied the victim’s hands and legs, poured kerosene on her, and set her ablaze with a lighter at their home in Uran, he said.
The woman was later rushed to a hospital where doctors declared her dead on arrival, the official said.
Man Fakes Wife’s Suicide
The accused had claimed his wife locked herself inside a room in the house and committed suicide, following which a case of accidental death was registered initially, he said.
“But our investigation found discrepancies in his story,” Mulani said.
Further investigation, including the autopsy report and a crucial statement from the couple’s seven-year-old daughter, revealed a very different picture, he said.
“The accused had claimed that his wife locked herself inside the room and committed suicide. But the child’s statement contradicted the husband’s version,” the official said.
Police also examined CCTV footage of the locality and it clearly showed the accused leaving the house in the early hours after the incident, he said.
“This was a vital evidence, contradicting the man’s claim that he was not present at home at the time of the incident,” the official said.
Husband Arrested for Murder
Based on the medical and forensic evidence and version of the eyewitness, the Uran police registered a case against the accused under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita section 103(1) (murder) on August 26 and arrested him, he said.
“It a clear-cut case of murder. We have no doubt that this was a brutal act of domestic violence,” the official said.
Further probe was on into the case.
Crime
Thane Crime: Firing In Ulhasnagar Over Family Dispute; One Injured By Gunshot, Another Attacked With Sword

Thane: A shocking act of violence erupted late Monday night in the Sainath Colony area of Ulhasnagar, where a long-standing family dispute turned dangerous. One person was seriously injured after being shot, while another was attacked with a sword.
The incident occurred under the jurisdiction of Hillline Police Station and has sparked fear among residents. Upon receiving the alert, the police rushed to the scene, conducted a panchnama, and launched an investigation. Special teams have been deployed to locate and apprehend the attackers.
According to reports, tensions between the accused and the victim’s family had been simmering for the past few days. On Monday night, the situation escalated drastically. The accused reportedly used firearms and a sword during the attack.
The victim injured in the firing has been admitted to a private hospital in Thane in critical condition. The second victim is also receiving medical treatment for sword-related injuries.
DCP Sachin Gore confirmed that the violence stemmed from a family dispute. He stated, We have identified the accused, and they will be arrested soon. Citizens are urged not to fall prey to any rumours, as reported.
A large police presence has been deployed in Ulhasnagar to maintain peace and ensure public safety. Hillline Police are also examining CCTV footage and continuing their investigation into the case.
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