In a high-stakes simulation designed to test the city’s preparedness against terror threats, a full-scale mock drill was conducted at Mumbai Central Railway Station on Tuesday morning. The operation, staged just days ahead of Independence Day, aimed to evaluate the coordination and response capabilities of multiple security agencies in the event of a terrorist attack.

Initial Response and Intel Gathering

The drill commenced at approximately 11:29 am with a distress scenario: a Head Constable received intel about two armed terrorists holding a passenger hostage inside the General Hall of the bustling terminus. The suspects were believed to be concealed in the AC waiting room on the first floor.

Rapid Mobilisation of Security Forces

Responding swiftly, Senior Police Inspector Hemraj Kumbhar, along with a team of officers and Railway Protection Force (RPF) Inspector Nahar Singh, arrived on the scene. Acting in accordance with Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) outlined by the Commissioner of Police (Railways), the team immediately informed the Mumbai Railway Control Room at 11:35 am and called in reinforcements.

Establishing Security Perimeter and Deployment

Within minutes, the area was cordoned off, with all entry and exit points to the General Hall sealed. Armed officers, including units from the Dog Squad, Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS), and the Quick Response Team (QRT), were deployed strategically across the site. The Riot Control Unit and Railway Protection Force assisted in establishing a security perimeter.

Threat Neutralisation Operation

At around 12:15pm, QRT commandos launched a meticulous room-to-room search operation to neutralize the simulated threat. Post-operation, BDDS teams from Ghatkopar HQ, accompanied by dog squads and RPF K9 units, combed through critical areas including the booking office, parcel area, and both waiting rooms to ensure the area was secure.

Exercise Concludes Successfully

The exercise concluded by 1:05 pm, successfully testing the readiness and coordination of Mumbai’s emergency services.

Manpower and Teams Involved

More than 50 personnel from the Government Railway Police (GRP) were involved in the operation, including one Senior Police Inspector, two Police Inspectors, two Sub-Inspectors, and 22 officers. The BDDS team, comprising four staff and one dog squad, played a crucial role, as did 15 RPF personnel—including one Inspector and two Sub-Inspectors—from Mumbai Central.

Supporting Units and Medical Preparedness

Also participating were 11 QRT commandos, a Riot Control Team of 11 personnel, and four members from the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) based in Kala Chowki. An ambulance team was on standby for any medical emergencies.

Authorities Praise Proactive Security Measures

Authorities hailed the drill as a success, underscoring Mumbai’s proactive approach to national security and its commitment to public safety ahead of India’s 79th Independence Day.

Kolsewadi Police have arrested two individuals, including a woman, for allegedly beating a four-year-old girl to death after she had two potty accidents within an hour. The accused have been identified as Prathmesh Kambri (23) and his wife, Aprana Prathmesh Kambri, both residents of Bhivpuri in Karjat, Raigad district.

Kidnapping Complaint Filed Against Accused

According to police, a kidnapping complaint was lodged on October 6, 2024, at Kolsewadi Police Station by Jyoti Satpute. She alleged that her four-year-old niece had been kidnapped by the accused, who are her father’s brother-in-law and sister-in-law.

Confession Reveals Cause of Death

The suspects were brought in for questioning, during which they reportedly confessed that Prathmesh had beaten the child to death due to her having two potty accidents within an hour. Following the murder, the couple allegedly wrapped the body in a gunny bag, covered it with a mattress, and dumped it in an isolated area.

Arrest Made Following Police Tip-Off

Based on a tip-off, police laid a trap and apprehended the accused on August 11 in Chinchwali village, Bhivpuri. They were produced before a court and remanded in police custody for further investigation.

Police Statement on the Investigation

DCP Atul Zende (Kalyan division) said, “The couple had been absconding since the FIR was lodged. They had stopped using their mobile phones, making it difficult to trace them. Acting on a tip-off, we arrested them. During the preliminary investigation, we learned that they had brought the child to their home in August to care for her. We have added murder charges to the FIR.”

Family Background and Custody Details

Police also confirmed that the girl’s father has been in jail for the past year in connection with a theft case in Ulhasnagar. After his arrest, he had sent his daughter to stay with his sister-in-law in Bhivpuri. When the complainant was unable to reach the Kambri couple despite a personal visit, she filed a kidnapping complaint.

On August 6, the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) reported daily revenue of ₹3.25 crore, one of its highest in months, following a May fare hike that doubled the minimum ticket price for both AC and non-AC buses. Officials hailed it as a step toward “sustainability,” citing not only higher collections but also “healthy” footfall.

Crowded Trains, Riskier Commutes After BEST Ridership Falls

Look past the balance sheet, however, and the picture shifts dramatically. Commuter rights groups estimate BEST’s daily ridership has fallen from roughly 3.5 million before the hike to about 2.5 million today, a loss of one million passengers in just three months. These commuters haven’t disappeared; they’ve been pushed onto already overcrowded local trains, where safety risks are mounting. A revenue spike that comes at the expense of passenger numbers is not sustainability, it’s a slow bleed of the very lifeblood that keeps a public transport system viable.

Mumbai once understood this. For decades, BEST operated as a cross-utility service, where surplus from electricity operations kept buses affordable, frequent, and extensive. The goal was mobility, not margin. Today, that ethos is slipping. Subcontracting to private operators has chipped away at service quality, while the fleet has shrunk under contractor mismanagement.

There is a proven, scalable way to do that: zero-fare bus travel for women. Far from being a “freebie,” such schemes, implemented in Delhi, Hyderabad, and Karnataka, have revived public transport, increased ridership, and strengthened economic participation.

Delhi’s Pink Ticket Programme Boosts Ridership and Inclusion

Delhi’s Pink Ticket programme, launched in 2019, has issued over 150 crore free rides. Women’s share of ridership has risen from 25% to over 33%, with daily beneficiaries reaching 11 lakh. Between 2019 and 2023, women’s ridership grew by 20%, easing crowding elsewhere, boosting workforce participation, and proving that zero fares can fortify rather than strain public finances. The cost is treated as a public investment. 

Hyderabad’s Mahalakshmi Scheme Shows Rapid, Sustained Growth

Hyderabad’s Mahalakshmi scheme, rolled out in late 2023, shows even sharper gains: 200 crore free journeys in under two years, women’s ridership jumping from 35% to 60%, daily passenger numbers surging from 45 lakh to 60 lakh, and bus occupancy rates soaring from 53% to 97%. State reimbursements of ₹335 crore a month have turned potential deficits into fuller buses, healthier route economics, and measurable reductions in private vehicle use.

Karnataka’s Shakti Scheme Revives Urban and Rural Routes

Karnataka’s Shakti scheme tells a similar story. By mid-2025, it had delivered nearly 500 crore free rides, lifting Bengaluru’s BMTC ridership to its highest levels since 2015. In Mysuru, women now account for three-quarters of daily passengers. The state’s ₹11,994 crore investment has paid off in greater labour force participation, sustained rural and semi-urban routes.

Why Mumbai Should Adopt a Zero-Fare Policy for Women

For Mumbai, the lesson is clear. A zero-fare policy for women could stem BEST’s passenger losses, expand access to jobs and education, and stabilise routes through higher occupancy. As these states show, the broader social and environmental returns, cleaner air, less congestion, greater economic inclusion far outweigh the direct subsidy cost. The real dividend lies in productivity, climate resilience, and social cohesion.

Sustainability Lies in Moving People, Not Just Making Money

If BEST is to survive, its success must be measured not by how much revenue it collects, but by how many people it moves, safely, affordably, and inclusively. And the fastest way to achieve that is to start with the women who keep Mumbai moving.