Bandra Stampede: 9 Severely Injured, Few In Critical Condition Amid Diwali

In a troubling incident early today, a stampede broke out at Mumbai’s Bandra Terminus, injuring nine people as passengers attempted to board a Gorakhpur-bound train. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) confirmed that the stampede was triggered by the pre-Diwali rush, which led to overcrowding at the station.

The stampede reportedly occurred when Train 22921, scheduled to depart for Gorakhpur at 5:10 am, arrived at Platform 1, several hours behind schedule. The delay led to a massive buildup of passengers, many of whom had gathered as early as 3 am to secure spots on the unreserved train. In the chaos that ensued, some passengers attempted to board the moving train, leading to two individuals sustaining severe injuries, while the others were less critically injured.

Visuals from the scene showed blood on the platform floor, injured passengers being carried on stretchers by Railway Police personnel, and some individuals receiving urgent medical attention. In one video, a police officer is seen carrying an injured passenger on his shoulder, while other passengers are escorted out using stretchers and makeshift stretchers made from large cloths. Over 50 police officers were reportedly stationed at the platform to control the crowd.

In an update, the BMC stated that the situation at Bandra Terminus is now under control, and the injured have been moved to Bhabha Hospital for treatment. Two of the injured have been discharged, while one passenger remains under observation with a spinal fracture, and several others have sustained leg fractures.

With thousands of people traveling to their hometowns for Diwali, railway authorities have heightened their efforts to manage the festival rush and prevent such incidents in the future.

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