Error or negligence: No clarity on what caused Bhandup mishap that injured 8 railway commuters

The injured passengers were travelling on the footboard of CSMT-bound fast local train. Representation Pic/Satej Shinde

A preliminary inquiry by Central Railway (CR) into Saturday's incident where eight passengers were hit by the open door of a location box between Bhandup and Nahur stations has stated that "human error" was behind the mishap as the door had not been locked after work was carried out at the site. According to the report, the door flipped open due to the vibrations of passing trains.

However, the police team, during their visit found that the door of the location box was rusty, had broken hinges and was carelessly tied using metal wires, pointing to negligence. The injured passengers were travelling on the footboard of a CSMT-bound fast local train when the incident occurred at 12.58 pm. The matter came to light after the fast train halted at Ghatkopar where the deputy station master and staff gave first aid to the injured passengers who were then shifted to Rajawadi Hospital.

The passengers were in pain and none of them were immediately able to gauge what had happened and just told the police that some unidentified object had hit them between Bhandup and Nahur stations while the train was in motion. The injured are Ritesh Namdev Ghodi, 21; Vaibhav Sunil Khaire, 21; Nilesh Maruti Dacre, 33; Mohammad Fahad Mohammed Afak Khan, 25; Raju P Ram, 28; Ajay Babulal Mishra, 25; Aditya Gautam Pawar, 31; and Atul Gorakh Chavan, 22.

Official Speak

Asked about the incident, a senior official said Railways would implement multiple safety measures, including strict monitoring and patrolling of the sites after work. "It will be doubly ensured that the doors are locked after work," he added. Meanwhile, the police team during its visit found that the door of the box was rusty, had broken hinges and was carelessly tied using metal wires. "The location box was five feet high. The rusted door probably flew due to the vibrations of the passing train and injured the commuters, an investigation by the railway police following their visit to the accident site revealed, Sambhaji Yadav, senior police inspector, Kurla railway police station stated.

What is a location box?

A railway location box is a signalling device that contains important items for running a train. They are typically installed at distances of 2 to 5 km and contain fuses that go off in the event of a short circuit. The nearest railway station can then trace the signal.