Mumbai: Police are investigating a rumour of an impending collapse of the foot overbridge (FOB) at Elphinstone Road railway station. The rumour, which started after a part of the FOB’s tin roofing collapsed, reportedly led to panic on the packed FOB on Friday morning, leading to the stampede that claimed 23 lives.
The process of recording statements of eyewitnesses and survivors started on Friday evening, police said, and an Accidental Death Report has been registered in the incident. ACP Sunil Deshmukh (Dadar Division) said, “We have recorded statements of more than 40 people till now.”
The police said eyewitnesses comprising commuters and vendors helped to take victims to KEM Hospital in Parel. They are also talking to railway staff manning the ticket counter on the FOB overlooking the staircase. “We are still recording statements to build a clear picture of the sequence of events leading to the tragedy,” Mr. Deshmukh said.
Police officers doubt the source of the rumour will be identified, given the number of people on the FOB before the stampede began. an officer who is part of the investigating team said, “Many took videos of the incident, but after the stampede began. Ascertaining who started the rumour about the bridge collapsing might not be easy. In the absence of strong corroborative evidence, a suspect may deny it, and the charge might not be easy to prove at the trial stage either.”