43-year-old police officer dies by falling off local train

A police officer fell from a train at Kalyan station, dying instantly. Investigators face challenges due to lack of CCTV; stress from a recent transfer may be a factor.

THANE: A police officer, died after falling from a train at Kalyan railway station while on his way to work. The incident occurred on Friday, and the Kalyan Railway Police who are investigating are being challenged by the absence of CCTV at the spot.

43-year-old police officer dies by falling off local train

According to railway police, the deceased, Dattaray Lokhande, is survived by his wife and two children at Vidyaharta Apartments on Malang Road in Kalyan East. Originally from Manwath village in Parbhani district, he was stationed at the Railway Police Headquarters in Ghatkopar, Mumbai. On Friday morning, Lokhande was on his way to report to duty at the Ghatkopar headquarters. He had reached Platform No 7 at Kalyan station to catch a local train when, at approximately 10.50am, he fell from an unidentified train and died on the spot.

After being informed about the accident, a team from the Kalyan Railway Police arrived at the spot to conduct a preliminary investigation. The body has been sent to a government hospital for post-mortem. Accidental death case has been registered.

Senior Police Inspector Pandhari Kande confirmed the incident, adding that CCTV footage from the area is being reviewed. However, there were no CCTV cameras at the exact location of the fall, which has complicated the investigation.

It has come to light that Lokhande was reportedly under stress after his transfer a few months ago. The transfer came after allegations of inaction by him and other officers in a case where some young passengers beat up a 72-year-old man in train after falsely accusing him of carrying beef.

“An inquiry was ongoing against him regarding an incident where a senior citizen was beaten by some youngsters for carrying beef. A video of the assault went viral on social media. Following complaints about Lokhande’s handling of the case, he was transferred to the Ghatkopar Police Headquarters, which caused him significant stress. The inquiry was still underway when his accidental death occurred, sources close to Lokhande said.

Authorities are also investigating if these incidents contributed to the circumstances surrounding his death.