Elphinstone stampede probe: Railway officials given clean chit by inquiry committee

The stampede on the staircase of the foot overbridge at Elphinstone Road station had claimed 23 lives. (File photo)

The Western Railway (WR) authorities have given a clean chit to railway officials on the probe on stampede which claimed 23 lives on September 29 on the staircase of the foot overbridge at Elphinstone Road station on the Western Railway (WR). Rumours and panic created due to rains has been attributed to be the cause for the stampede.

A five member committee of senior railway officials headed by the Chief Safety Officer of the Western Railway was probing the stampede on the bridge. The report, which was submitted to the General Manager, WR on Tuesday evening enlists suggestions to decongest the staircase.

“The incident was caused due to panic and confusion created on the bridge coupled with rains. No one can be held responsible for the incident,” Ravinder Bhaker, Chief Public Relations Officer, WR said.

Earlier a probe by the Dadar police in the incident had mentioned that a confusion created due to someone saying ‘phoo gir gaya’ (flowers had dropped) with ‘pul gir gaya’ (bridge has fallen) was ascertained to have triggered the incident.

Suggestions like relocating the booking counter, regulation of vendors’ entry during rush hours, additional CCTV cameras for monitoring, and hotline facility at stations have been recommended in the report.