Deathtrap: Teen dies after falling between platform and train at Churchgate station

The platform suddenly ends and it is difficult to notice it, especially for commuters who do not travel there regularly.

Mumbai: A 19-year-old boy – who was returning home after a part-time job – died, on Tuesday, after falling in a gap in platform number 3 of the Churchgate station. Like the deceased, Vishnu Jha, at least seven people have lost their lives and 62 others were injured at the same location.

According to Babasahab Thorat, senior police inspector of Churchgate Government Railway Police (GRP), the incident took place at 5 am on Tuesday when Jha entered platform number 3 from the subway. He tried to board the train which had just started and could not make out that there was no platform behind the subway wall. As he tried to step inside the train, he fell into the gap between the tracks and the wall of the subway. (Bhushan Koyande/HT Photo)

The platform suddenly ends and it is difficult to notice it, especially for commuters who do not travel there regularly.

According to Babasahab Thorat, senior police inspector of Churchgate Government Railway Police (GRP), the incident took place at 5 am on Tuesday when Jha entered platform number 3 from the subway. He tried to board the train which had just started and could not make out that there was no platform behind the subway wall. As he tried to step inside the train, he fell into the gap between the tracks and the wall of the subway.

“The young man died instantly,” he added.

Noticing several such incidents of passengers falling on tracks after exiting from the subway on platform number 3 and suffering injuries, Thorat has written to the Railways asking them to barricade the portion near the exit of the subway on the platform. “We are writing to the Railways to take precautionary measures to prevent commuters from falling on tracks and dying or suffering serious injuries,” said Thorat.

Ashish Jha, Vishnu’s maternal uncle said that the boy’s parents are in Bihar and he had been staying with him for the past three years at his house in Boisar in the Palghar district. Ashish, who works for a private firm, said that Vishnu was the only child of his sister.

“On Monday night, Vishnu was going to return to Boisar along with his friends. However, since it was late, he decided to stay with a relative in Churchgate,” said Ashish.

At 5 am Vishnu reached the Churchgate station after entering through the subway on platform number 3. There was a train to Dahanu at 5.20 am on platform number 4 and a train on platform number 3, which had just started moving.

“He exited the subway and tried to board the moving train on platform number 3 without realising that there was no platform adjacent to the subway wall and fell into the gap behind the Subway wall and the train,” said Ashish.

Social activist Dr Akanksha Tripathy said that the Railways should take preventive measures as the gap is easily missed by passengers especially those who are not daily commuters. “The Railways should construct a barricade to ensure that such incidents can be avoided,” said Tripathy.