The nightmarish incident of ‘Elphinstone Stampede’ is certainly one of the most unfortunate incidents of this year, can be listed as the landmark mistake of the Railway authorities. Such a blunder happening in the country’s financial capital is pure saddening.
With the years passing, Indian railways have only become a major medium of transportation with generations. Millions of Indians prefer train journey over any other for its most economical and time-saving prospects. Popularly known as country’s one of the most crowded railway station, Mumbai’s Elphinstone Railway Station remains on news forever. For the mammoth crowd, it has especially during the festival seasons, things aren’t changed after all at this place.
It is said that over 22 people lost their lives in the ugly stampede and more than 30 seriously injured in a stampede that broke out this morning during peak office hours on a foot-over-bridge at this station. The incident took place at around 10:30 am on the over-bridge linking Elphinstone Road and Parel suburban stations.
This kind of crowd at Elphinstone is quite common from many years, now, when it comes to the reason behind the accident, the recent sources reveal that it is the improperly spell of flowers selling man that created panic in the crowd.
It is one of the survivors of the Elphinstone Road station stampede, Shilpa Vishwakarma told the railway inquiry panel that the tragedy may have been triggered by panic that set in after some commuters mistook the word “Phool” (flower in both Hindi and Marathi) for “pul” (bridge in both Hindi and Marathi).
Vishwakarma, who said she was stuck in the middle of the staircase on Friday as the crowds on the stairs and the bridge rapidly swelled, told the panel that a flower-seller had slipped on the stairs and said loudly, “Phool gir gaya”. “Some heard it as ‘pul’ (bridge) and thought the bridge had fallen,” she said.
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The 19-year-old was stuck in the stampede while trying to go up the stairs as she wanted to board a train to attend coaching classes in Vile Parle, fell and was trampled on by some people but was immediately pulled out by a man in the crowd who died soon after saving her. She herself suffered injuries to her hands, legs, back, and stomach. She was rushed by locals to KEM Hospital but was discharged the same day.
Further inquiry is on. Many other youngsters came forward to help out the police, talking about the place before the horrific stampede, she said, “While I was caught in the middle of the staircase, there was pressure from the top (from the bridge) as well as from below (the exit) as many commuters did not want to get out of the station because of the rain. Many women were decked in traditional attire for Navaratri and were reluctant to get wet.”
Over 20 witnesses are inquired and more than 4 people have corroborated Vishwakarma’s theory about the cause of the stampede, said an officer from Dadar police department.