Mumbai stampede: Opposition demands judicial probe

Mumbai, Sep 29 (IANS) Opposition parties in Maharashtra demanded a judicial enquiry into Friday's stampede at Ephinstone Road railway foot overbridge in which 22 commuters were crushed to death.

State Congress President Ashok Chavan, who went to visit the victims at the tragedy site and the KEM Hospital, also met relatives of the deceased and the injured undergoing treatment and got an update from the hospital authorities.

"This is a very grave tragedy.. The government must order a judicial probe into it and take stringent action against those responsible for it. They must also adequate compensate all the victims and bear the complete medical costs of all the injured," he demanded.

Nationalist Congress Party legislator Jitendra Awhad targeted the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party government for ignoring issues concerning the safety of Mumbai railway commuters and talking about implementing the Bullet Train project.

"When will the government take note of the difficulties encountered by millions of Mumbaikars who carry their hearts in their hands to earn a living daily?" he asked.

On one hand, the government had promised to spend Rs 46,000 crore to overhaul the Mumbai suburban railway networks, but emains silent on the long-pending suburban elevated railway corridor and instead came up with the Bullet Train, he said.

Awhad said daily, there are scores of accidents killing or maiming many commuters, but the government has chosen to turn a blind eye to their plight.

In one of the worst tragedies on the Mumbai suburban network, 22 commuters were killed and another 32 were hurt in a massive stampede that occurred on a narrow connecting foot overbridge between Elphinstone Road-Parel railway stations.

The festival-eve calamity sparked off angry reactions on social media and political circles, with many questioning lapses vis-a-vis safety and security of commuters even as mega-projects like Bullet Trains are announced with fanfare.