Elphinstone Station-Parel Stampede LIVE: After 22 die, Centre says bridge will be expanded; Twitter unsparing in criticism

After 22 die in Mumbai stampede, Railway Ministry clears funds for new foot over bridge at Elphinstone Road station

Did Mumbai Police use its brains before putting 'branded' victims on display?

When relatives of the deceased turned up at KEM Hospital, they were greeted by mugshot pictures of the bodies of 22 victims posted on a wall with numbers emblazoned across their foreheads. 

According to a senior doctor from KEM Hospital who chose to stay off the record, it is a standard practice across forensic departments the world over to mark victims in this manner.

While that may be the case, displaying these images publicly is certainly not a part of any forensic manual. That lives had been needlessly lost was bad enough, making this sort of spectacle reeks of a complete lack of sensitivity and respect for the victims and their kin.

KEM Hospital say it has enough blood to take care of the injured

Health minister JP Nadda takes update on health of those injured in tragedy

Watch: The death toll in the Mumbai stampede tragedy hit 22 within a span of 2 hours

Centre says foot-over bridge will be expanded after 22 people die in stampede

Railway minister Piyush Goyal said that the Indian Railways will take up the broadening of foot-over bridges on a priority basis and audits will be conducted at several Mumbai stations. Twitter users, meanwhile, were unsparing in their criticism as commuters had complaint in the past too about the bottle-neck sitation at the high-footfall station. Many people pointed out that this was a tragedy waiting to happen. 

Mumbai stampede a massacre, BJP government should take responsibility: Shiv Sena

In a blistering attack on its ally the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Shiv Sena on Friday termed the stampede in which 22 railway commuters were killed as a "public massacre".

Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut slammed the BJP for the much-touted Bullet Train project and said commuters' safety and security must be accorded top priority.

A new foot-over bridge was constructed at Parel station, but is never used

Updated list of all deceased persons

Government should be booked for culpable homicide, says Shiv Sena

Former Maharashtra CM Ashok Chavan takes potshots at BJP govt

Piyush Goyal visits KEM Hospital 

Manjul's take on the Mumbai tragedy

A lucky survivor narrates his ordeal 

Twenty-three year-old Anuj Kumar, who works as a tailor at Parel, left Kurla station at 10 am. However, he got stuck on the staircase. He said that a lot of people fell unconscious. However, he escaped from behind. 

Milind Deora visits KEM Hospital 

Shiv Sena MP Arvind Sawant first rang the bell

As the South Mumbai MP, Shiv Sena leader Arvind Sawant had raised the issue of the structural problem associated with the Elphinstone Road station bridge. In a 2016 letter, then Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu had also lauded his efforts at bringing Indian Railways attention to the perennial problem. However, the letter itself pointed out that due to the paucity of financial resources, the issue does not get enough attention. 

A survivor recounts his horror

Ruful Amin, 22. works at Indiabulls Centre. "I got in from Kurla and got off at Parel. I got pushed on the overbridge. I was pushed and three women and two boys died in front of me. I extricated my feet from the dead. I held on to railing and fell off. A man helped me. I fainted but there were no ambulance. People carried me while crossing tracks. I was taken in a police van and brought here to KEM. I felt I would die," he said.

Here is the list of all the injured at KEM Hospital 

Firstpost is LIVE with some of the injured at KEM Hospital

Will Goyal keep his word?

While Goyal has now promised to widen the foot-over bridges across Mumbai Suburban Railway system, the demand for such a move was previously made in a 2015 CAG report, which specifically highlighted the structural default in the Elphinstone Road station bridge. 

Piyush Goyal promises to widen railway foot-over bridges

Another life lost to government apathy 

Mina Walekar, 34, worked at Kamgar Kalyan Nigam. She stayed at Ulhasnagar. She was coming to work but got caught in the stampede. Her friend called her phone but a police constable picked the call informing that she was dead. Her friends have identified the body.

This is the first list of the dead released by KEM Hospital 

ANI says 39 people are injured in the tragedy

Read: The CAG report in 2015 which nails the poor infrastructure in Elphinstone Road station 

This is the part of the CAG report in 2015

"Foot Over Bridge (FOB) of six meter width was required to be provided at all suburban stations. FOBs of the prescribed size of six meter width had not been provided at all at five stations."

Elphintsone Road station was under scanner for a while 

A 2016 CAG report had said that the Foot Over Bridge is structurally weak. The report also said that the size of Foot Over Bridge was also not in line with the prevelant standards across the world. but no action was taken on the CAG report. According to CNN News18, the size of the FOB is not over 70 inches. 

Here are the helpline numbers

Manoj Sinha asks people to not play politics, says no issues raised on bridge's strength 

Arun Jaitley tweets condolences

22-year-old Hiloni Dedhia family is shattered

The Axis Bank employee was a CA. She stayed at Ghatkopar. Her family got a call saying that she had fractured a foot. Her aunt came to the hospital but couldn't find her name in casualty list or dead list. They identified her from a picture. This is because name list is only of those who are identified. They are waiting for the body to be taken home.

Rail minister Piyush Goyal speaks

"We will order highest level of enquiry under Chief Safety Officer. there will be a capacity and safety audit of stations. We will give more importance to safety now. I have spoken to authorities.The dead will get Rs 5 lakh from the ralway, while seriously injured will get Rs 1 lakh," Goyal said.

State minister Vinod Tawde and BJP spokesperson Shaina NC at KEM Hospital

This was a tragedy waiting to happen

Tragedy struck common man

Sudhir Mishra, 30 year old labourer, went to book his ticket and got caught in the stampede. He is admitted to ICU now. A 22 year old woman, Hiloni Dedhia, who was employed with Axis bank is also believed to  be dead. Her phone and bag were recovered from the incident site. Her father has reached KEM to identify body.

Watch: Chaos at Parel station following the stampede

Medical services arrived at the spot after incident

Uddhav Thackeray reaches KEM Hospital 

Poor infrastructure responsible for the tragedy 

Piyush Goyal to come to Elphinstone Road 

After visiting KEM Hospital, where the dead and the injured are being treated, Railway Minister Piyush Goyal is set to visit Elphinstone Road, the accident spot.

Elphinstine Road area known for poor infrastructure

One of the oldest city bridges, the Elphinstone Bridge, has been a topic of debate for some time now. This is the same stretch where renowned cardiologist Dr Deepak Amrapurkar had drowned in an open manhole late last month, News18 noted,

NCP supremo Sharad Pawar tweets his condolences

Helpline numbers

Helpline numbers for Elphinstone Road North FOB incidence today: Churchgate - 22039840, Mumbai Central- 23051665, EPR- 24301614 @drmbct

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Commotion outside KEM hospital

Firstpost is live from KEM Hospital

Senior BJP leader and state education minister Vinod Tawde is currently at KEM Hospital. 

Piyush Goyal reaches Mumbai, orders high-level enquiry into tragedy

Union Railway Minister Piyush Goyal reaches Mumbai and addressed the media: "This is a very sad day and the accident that happened at the Elphinstone Road Station is extremely worrisome. I have ordered a high-level enquiry into the matter," Goyal told media gathered outside the Mumbai International airport on Friday. 

Devendra Fadnavis announces ₹5 lakh compensation for the next of the kin of deceased; all medical expenses of the injured will be borne by Maharashtra govt

Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis ordered a probe into Friday's tragedy which killed 22 people. The chief minister tweeted out saying, "Enquiry will be conducted by Government of Maharashtra and Ministry of Railways and necessary, strict action will be taken."

11-year-old boy becomes youngest casualty in Friday tragedy 

Eleven-year-old Rohit Parab was the youngest of the casualties. According to his parents, he had gone with his older cousin to buy flowers and was on the bridge at the time of the stampede. When the parents tried to call him, the cousin picked up the phone, but it got disconnected. They could not get in touch with him again and so, they came to KEM Hospital to check if his name was on the casualties list.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis tweets 

Piyush Goyal lands in Mumbai

To save lives, people broke galvanised sheets along the station and ensured injured got off the bridge: Eyewitness tells Firstpost

An eyewitness, Ajay Ghate, a Network18 employee, was at Elphinstone Road Station during the time of accident. According to Ghate, the chaos at the foot-over bridge started due to rumours of short circuit then later that the bridge had collapsed. People panicked and in the rush to get off the bridge, caused heavy casualties. 

People were stranded on northern side of the Elphinstone bridge and the staircase towards the Dadar end due to sudden gush of heavy rains. As the crowd on the bridge showed no signs of dissipating, people started breaking the galvanised sheets along the bridge and threw several of the injured people down the bridge so that they don't suffocate and die.

According to Ghate, who was on the bridge, atleast 7-8 people died on the spot. There were just 2-3 RPF staff to help the injured people at the time of stampede. Police officials came to the spot almost 45 minutes after the incident.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweets condolences

Modi tweeted and said that railway minister Piyush Goyal is in Mumbai to take stock of situation.

BMC helpline numbers 

022-24136051
022-24107020
022-24131419

WATCH: Chaos at Elphinstone Road Station

Piyush Goyal is on his way to Mumbai, sources tell Firstpost

Western Railways' medical team at the scene

According to Western Railway, a medical team is assisting KEM Hospital in treating injured at the North foot-over bridge at the Elphistone Road.

Anger simmers in Mumbai: Slogans raised against Piyush Goyal

Commuters, who survived Friday's stampede, were angry at the shoddy condition of stations and foot-over bridges in the city. In a city, where local trains are the lifeline for daily commuters, how can the government be so lackadaisical, asked angry commuters. 

Many raised slogans against Union Railway Minister Piyush Goyal. "Piyush Goyal haye haye."

Union Railway Minister Piyush Goyal will arrive at Elphinstone Road Station soon

Mumbai Police tweets: 

Death toll rises to 22, IBN Lokmat reports

According to IBN Lokmat, death toll has now risen to 22. According to reports among those dead are 18 male and 4 female dead.

Road going towards the bridge linking Parel and Elphinstone Road closed for now

Firstpost speaks to a survivor from the Elphinstone Road Station stampede on Friday morning

Death toll climbs to 15: 20-25 people seriously injured

According to Firstpost reporter Sanjay Sawant present at the spot, 20 to 25 people are seriously injured among dozens who were hurt during the stampede on Friday.

15 dead, confirms BMC

Firstpost spoke to a Disaster Management official present at the scene who said that at least 6 to 7 people have sustained serious fractures. Four of those injured have been shifted to the KEM Hospital. The official told Firstpost that the current death toll has risen to 15. 

Death toll goes up to 15, reports ANI

Firstpost goes LIVE from Elphinstone Road Station

Firstpost goes live from Elphinstone Road Station

Western Railway tweets

'People started falling over each other like dominoes'

Miitesh Jethva, a regular commuter told Firstpost that sudden rains caught commuters by surprise which triggered panic at the foot-over bridge. "There is usually a huge rush at the station everyday, but because of the rains people wanted shelter and there was a sudden huge rush at the bridge. In no time, People soon started falling over each other like dominoes. The incident happened at 10.45 am."

Heavy rains triggered chaos resulting in stampede

According to TV channels on spot, the narrow bridge at the Elphinstone Road, which is decades old, can hardly manage the traffic on regular days. On Friday, heavy rains in the morning triggered chaos which ended up in a stampede. 

WATCH: Stampede at Elphinstone Station