Mumbai: A railway worker was seriously injured on Monday afternoon, when he was hit by a bag containing a coconut and floral waste thrown by a passenger on a Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus-bound suburban train near Vashi Bridge.
According to the Vashi Railway Police, 39-year-old Santosh Sadu Kadam works as a gangman and resides in GTB Nagar, Sion. He was working on the tracks near Vashi station around 12.20 p.m. on Monday.
“Mr. Kadam was working with his colleague Anil Ram, when a passenger threw a bag containing a coconut and floral waste out of the train. The bag hit Kadam on his thigh,” the railway police said.
According to witnesses, Mr. Kadam collapsed when the bag hit him, and his colleague and others rushed him to Kurla Railway Hospital.
“He has serious injuries on his leg. Instead of hitting his leg if the bag had hit him on the head, he would have lost his life just because of a passenger’s mistake,” the railway police said.
Doctors said the injury is of a serious nature, and Mr. Kadam needs a few days’ rest before resuming duty.
The incident took place near Vashi Bridge. The police suspect that the passenger may have wanted to throw the waste from his temple room into the Vashi creek. Instead, the bag hit Mr. Kadam on the track.
The Government Railway Police are searching for the unidentified passenger. A case has been registered with Vashi Railway Police and investigations are on.
Additional Director General of Police (GRP) Jai Jeet Singh said the passengers should at least discharge their civic duties. The co-passengers should also speak up if they see any passenger throwing garbage or anything out of a running train. “Passengers need to be aware that anything thrown from a running train becomes a projectile because of its weight, coupled with the speed of the train. It can hit and injure innocent bystanders and pedestrians. It also creates difficulty in keeping the area clean,” said Mr. Singh.
Rajiv Singhal, a member of the Divisional Railway Users Consultative Committee, said, “This is the indiscipline which is followed in Mumbai local trains. Not only at Vashi creek, but many passengers can be seen throwing such bags in Bandra, Vasai and other creeks. Such people should be punished severely. Many people end up losing their life or are injured without their fault,” Mr. Singhal said.