Mumbai stampede: Eyewitness say that there was no help when tragedy occurred

At least 22 people were killed and 30 injured in a stampede on the narrow foot overbridge at Elphinstone Road railway station around 10 am on Friday According to the police heavy rain coupled with peakhour rush triggered the stampede However several eyewitnesses suggested that the panic was caused because of rumours about a short circuit and a possible collapse of the bridge under the crowds weightLocals climb on to the narrow foot overbridge at Elphinstone this morning during rush hour to rescue injured commuters wedged in the railingEyewitnesses said that passengers were waiting and stranded on the overbridge since unexpected heavy rain had forced them to stay inside the station at the time of the tragedy at 945 am In no time more people began gathering at the bridge Rumours of the bridge collapsing under their weight triggered panic and people started running helterskelter The ensuing commotion caused a stampede and passengers started frantically running for their lives said an eyewitnessWith little space to negotiate several were crushed Those who tried to hold on to the railing were wedged against the metal Videos doing the rounds also show several commuters trying to jump from the bridge in an attempt to save their livesGangadhar Mandala an eyewitness told midday The crowds were increasing by the second New trains were coming in and adding to the rush Meanwhile those already at the station werent leaving due to the rain leading to overcrowding No policeman or railway official was around when the mishap occurred else immediate crowd control would have prevented the tragedyAfter the stampede was over many injured commuters were seen sitting on the bridge waiting for medical help while commuters and residents from around rushed the seriously injured to the nearby KEM Hospital in ParelThe National Disaster Response Force NDRF also reached the spot around 1 pm to assist in the rescue operationChetan Thakker whose brother Piyush was injured in the incident said My brother left home at 915 am and I followed him in the next train By the time I reached Elphinstone I was shocked to see what had happened I tried calling him and thats when he told me he was being treated at KEMShiv Sena corporator Samadhan Sarvankar reached the spot with a group of sainiks and shouted slogans against Railway Minister Piyush Goyal who was incidentally in Mumbai to launch 100 new suburban rail services The Sena blamed the BJP and Sanjay Raut Sena RS MP said This is murder Even before this terrible incident we have said that Mumbai does not need a bullet train but better railway infrastructurePolice at the site of the mishap this morningAt the time of going to press Mumbai Police Commissioner Dattatray Padsalgikar was at KEM Hospital to take stock of situationFootwear of the victimsPrime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted that Goyal was monitoring the situation and providing assistance My deepest condolences to all those who have lost their lives due to the stampede in Mumbai Prayers with those who are injured he tweetedGangadhar Mandala eyewitness and volunteerState medical education minister Vinod Tawde has announced Rs 5 lakh compensation for the dead and free medical assistance to the injured Meanwhile CM Devendra Fadnavis has ordered a probe Enquiry will be conducted by Government of Maharashtra and Ministry of Railways and necessary strict action will be taken he tweeted