Commuters, activists stop trains to protest against absence of bridge at Vikhroli crossing that led to three deaths.
Trains on the central line stopped plying for more than three hours on Sunday after thousands of commuters, residents, and activists from various NGOs staged a rail roko following the death of three people in Vikhroli. The people were protesting against the railways for not building a bridge over the level crossing in Vikhroli.
An official said there were four incidents of trespassing, including one at the level crossing. Three people died and one was badly injured, he said. People from neighbouring areas thronged the tracks and rail traffic stopped completely between 1.30pm and 3.17pm, he said.
At 6:45am, a 45-year-old man was killed between Vikhroli and Kanjur Marg while he was trying to cross the tracks. At 10.27am, a 27-year-old man, Pachu Gupta, was killed between Ghatkopar and Vikhroli. At 12.50pm, a 30-year-old man, Kapil Ravi Das, was injured between Vikhroli and Kanjur Marg. And at 1.10pm, a 45-year-old man was killed at the level crossing.
“The mob came down on the tracks and begun hurling stones at trains,” a senior police officer said. “The level crossing gate at Vikhroli was completely smashed.”
One of the protesters, Philip D’Souza, said the agitation was spontaneous. “Initially no political party was involved,” he said. Gradually, local leaders from the BJP and the Shiv Sena joined the protesters. MNS corporator and local MP Sanjay Patil visited the spot carrying pamphlets and documents to show that the MNS had been fighting for a bridge at Vikhroli.
“We deployed more than 200 policemen,” Sanjay Shintre, DCP, said. “Local activists first started the protest and we explained the situation to them. After initial discussions, 68 activists left the spot. But there was no proper response from the railways.” CR spokesperson SC Mudgerikar said the railways had sanctioned a foot over bridge at the site.
(With inputs from Pooja Maheshwary and Richa Taneja)
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