Mumbai: A sudden protest by Central Railway (CR) employees at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) during peak travel hours on Thursday evening
brought Mumbai’s suburban train network to a standstill for nearly an hour, triggering chaos across platforms and resulting in the tragic deaths of two commuters.
The flash strike, called by the Central Railway Mazdoor Sangh (CRMS), was held on Thursday to protest against a Government Railway Police (GRP) FIR filed against two CR engineers over the June 9 Mumbra accident that killed five passengers. The agitation, which began around 4:30 pm and intensified by 5:30 pm, blocked train crew exits and paralysed operations across the mainline.
As trains stood still, hundreds of stranded passengers began walking along the tracks. Around 6:50 pm, five commuters who had deboarded a halted local near Sandhurst Road were hit by a passing fast train, killing Hailey Momaiya (19) and an unidentified man on the spot. Three others, Yafisa Chogle (62), Khusbu Momaiya (45), and Kaif Chogle (22), sustained injuries and were rushed to JJ Hospital, where two were admitted for treatment.
The protest was reportedly sparked by what the union termed an “unjustified FIR” based on a “technically flawed” report by Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute (VJTI). CRMS divisional secretary SK Dube said the employees demanded withdrawal of the FIR, calling it unfair.
Train services gradually resumed around 6:45 pm after senior railway officials, including Divisional Railway Manager Hiresh Mina, intervened and pacified the protesters. However, the one-hour disruption caused severe overcrowding at multiple stations, including Byculla, Masjid Bunder, and Thane, leading to cancellations and delays of over 30 services.
Passenger associations condemned the protest, calling it “irresponsible and dangerous,” and urged authorities to prevent such disruptions that endanger commuter lives.
