A disturbing incident unfolded at Virar railway station late Friday night when a motorman on duty was assaulted by two passengers after a dispute over a reserved seating area. The altercation occurred around 9:20 pm at Platform number 1 (South End), where Motorman Avinash Patel arrived to operate a Churchgate-bound local train.
According to officials, Patel asked two young men, identified as Shreyans Kanaujia (21) and Ashok Kanaujia (18), to vacate a bench designated exclusively for motormen and train managers. The duo reportedly refused and demanded identification from Patel. The situation quickly escalated into a physical confrontation, during which Patel sustained a minor head injury resulting in bleeding.
Station Master staff provided immediate first aid to Patel, and he was advised by a doctor to seek further treatment at JRH. However, Patel opted to visit the nearby Riddhivinayak Hospital, escorted by RPF staffer CT Karan Chopra.
The Railway Protection Force (RPF), represented by ASI Sanjay Tiwari, and Government Railway Police (GRP) personnel responded promptly and detained the two accused passengers. An investigation is currently underway.
As a result of the incident, the incoming motorman, Ravindra Unnithan was assigned to operate that train in place of Patel. Unnithan’s original set was reassigned to an extra night-duty motorman to ensure continuity of services.
Railway officials have condemned the attack, reiterating the importance of respecting railway staff and the designated safety protocols in station areas.
