A 65-year-old senior citizen was beaten to death by a 50-year-old commuter over a petty quarrel in the luggage compartment of a local train near Kalyan on Thursday.
The accused was handed over to the Government Railway Police (GRP) by other commuters who spotted the accused with bloodstained hands and legs near the platform. A case of murder has been registered against the man.
The senior citizen had got into an argument with another commuter following an alleged push, which escalated into slurs and a physical fight, according to the GRP. The accused, identified as Sunil Yadav Bhalerao, allegedly pushed the victim, who fell and hit himself on a sharp object that led to bleeding and death.
“The victim was a senior citizen and the impact of the injury was severe,” said senior police inspector Mukesh Dhage of Kalyan GRP.
The accused, who is a resident of Washim and owns a pan shop, got down from the train and tried to escape. However, other commuters spotted him with bloodstained hands and legs and torn clothes and handed him over to the GRP.
“We questioned him and arrested him from the station itself. There was no motive for a pre-planned murder and it was the result of a scuffle that broke out on the moving train. We have registered a case of murder against the accused,” said the senior police inspector.
The victim, identified as Baban Hande, was a former employee of the Mumbai Port Trust and was a resident of Ambivali area near Kalyan. His body was sent to Rukminibai hospital in Kalyan and was identified by the police using his son’s ration card, which was found in his pocket.
Deceased's son demands harshest penalty
Hande is survived by his wife, two sons and a daughter. His son was also quoted saying that he is at a loss as to how one could kill an elderly person, let alone aboard a train. He further said that he wants the guilty to be given harshest penalty possible.
