Spate of violent incidents on Mumbai local trains raises commuter safety concerns

Another disturbing incident occurred in November 2025, when a 19-year-old first-year science student died by suicide in Thane, days after allegedly being assaulted on a local train following an argument over not speaking in Marathi. The incident occurred between Ambernath and Kalyan. The victim’s father later told police that his son was under severe psychological stress after the incident, which he believed pushed him to take the extreme step.

In December 2025, a young man was stabbed multiple times inside a moving CSMT-Panvel local train near Vashi station. The Government Railway Police (GRP) registered an attempt-to-murder case after the attacker fled the scene. The victim, a call centre employee from Ghansoli, sustained serious injuries to his neck, chest, back and waist. The incident occurred between Mankhurd and Vashi stations.

In the latest case reported in January 2026, a 30-year-old man lost his leg after being pushed off a moving train in Thane following a phone robbery. The victim had boarded a fast local train from Thane to Badlapur and was travelling in the luggage compartment when a man sitting next to him suddenly snatched his mobile phone. During the fight that followed, the victim fell from the moving train. He suffered a traumatic amputation of his leg, along with serious injuries to the back of his head and left cheek, and swelling near his eye.

Voices of Mumbai railway commuters

“People have become short-tempered these days. I’ve travelled for decades, and earlier there was chaos but less anger. Now, commuters are exhausted and irritable. You feel safe most days, but never fully secure. The police need to be more attentive instead of being in their own world,” said Sulochana Desai, 54, a school teacher.

“Train delays and overcrowded stations are making commuters angry and frustrated. That anger often leads to conflict. Most days, you’re just trying to survive the rush. One argument, one push, and things can spiral quickly,” said Rakesh Patil, an office executive.

“While travelling, you have to remain alert at all times, especially during peak hours. It’s not exactly fear, but you’re constantly guarding your space. The train moves fast, but your mind never relaxes. There are many sensitive people around, and you never know who is coming from where,” said Neha Fernandes, 29, a marketing professional.

Passenger association reactions

“Most government and police personnel remain busy checking bags at FOBs and platforms at stations like Malad and Borivali instead of monitoring passenger safety during peak hours. Passengers are helpless if something happens inside a moving train.

At times, helplines do not work or calls go unanswered. Many passengers are also afraid to pull the chain due to rules and penalties. RPF offices are not easily accessible from platforms.

A panic button is essential in all local train coaches for emergencies. While AC locals have a facility to contact the guard or motorman, this must also be introduced in non-AC trains. The heavy budget allocated for railway safety often appears to be only on paper,” said Shailesh Goyal, former member, National Railway Users Consultative Committee.

“What kind of safety can GRP or RPF provide when field staff are often busy on their mobile phones? Transgenders, beggars and unauthorised vendors are very common inside local trains. Complaints have been made repeatedly, even at the IG level, but with no result.

There are CCTV cameras in some AC EMU trains, but RPF and GRP rarely use the footage to curb anti-social elements,” said Rajiv Singal, member, Western Railway Mumbai Divisional Railway Users’ Consultative Committee. “This incident highlights the urgent need for enhanced safety measures and increased staffing across the Mumbai railway network, including the Mumbai Central division.

As a passenger association representative, I urge the Ministry of Railways to deploy additional staff in the Mumbai division to improve commuter safety. I also request the Maharashtra government to increase GRP personnel to prevent such incidents in the future,” said Ketan Shah, member, Zonal Railway Users Consultative Committee.