Mumbai: Commuting on Mumbai's suburban railway network, particularly in coaches reserved for persons with disabilities, is becoming increasingly unsafe. On Saturday, two separate incidents of alleged assaults involving disabled passengers were reported in these reserved coaches.
In the first incident, disabled passenger Sanjay Ugale was travelling on a CSMT–Kalyan slow local train on Saturday. He boarded the train at Mulund. At Thane station, two non-disabled passengers entered the compartment reserved for persons with disabilities. When Ugale informed them that the compartment was reserved for disabled passengers, an argument broke out. The two men allegedly assaulted him.
Another commuter at Diwa railway station came forward to help Ugale. However, the accused allegedly assaulted him as well. Ugale then approached a constable at Diwa station, but alleged that the constable failed to take any action against the two passengers and instead boarded a first-class coach and left. The incident occurred at around 11.54 pm.
Ugale said, "It was late at night, and only one passenger came forward to support me. Apart from him, no one helped me. I merely told them that the compartment was reserved for disabled passengers, but they got annoyed and physically assaulted me. Since it was very late, I will file a complaint with the Thane Government Railway Police (GRP) on Monday."
In another incident on Saturday, a non-disabled woman allegedly travelled in the disabled compartment of the 8.36 am Karjat-CSMT local. When she got on at the Dombivli station, disabled passengers informed her that the compartment was reserved exclusively for persons with disabilities.
The woman claimed that she had suffered a fracture in her hand. The passengers then requested her to produce relevant medical documents. Allegedly angered by the request, the woman began abusing disabled passenger Anil Gangaonkar. Later, at Kurla station, two of her non-disabled colleagues entered the compartment and allegedly assaulted Gangaonkar.
After a video of the incident went viral on social media, the railway police reportedly contacted Gangaonkar and asked him to register a complaint.
Expressing concern over the increasing encroachment in coaches reserved for persons with disabilities and the growing incidents of abuse and assault, activist Nitin Gaikwad, who is himself a disabled commuter and has been working on issues concerning disabled railway passengers, submitted a complaint via email to the Union Railway Minister, the Maharashtra Chief Minister, the Chairpersons of the Central and Western Railway Boards, the Divisional Railway Manager, and the Commissioner of Railway Police.
In his complaint, Gaikwad stated that a serious and alarming situation prevails in coaches reserved for persons with disabilities on Mumbai's suburban railway network. "Nowadays, the reserved coaches for disabled passengers have become centres of violence, encroachment and intimidation rather than safe spaces for travel," he said.
Gaikwad also referred to an incident that allegedly took place four days ago, in which Ramdayal Gupta, a disabled commuter from Diva, was allegedly assaulted in a disabled coach. Gupta said he pulled the emergency chain in self-defence and claimed that the accused were detained by railway security personnel. However, a case of chain-pulling was also registered against him. Gaikwad alleged that similar incidents are being handled differently. Gupta also claimed he had been assaulted on earlier occasions, including once by RPF personnel, and said such incidents have shaken the confidence of disabled passengers in the railway authorities.
Gupta said, "Non-disabled passengers have assaulted me twice. In 2022, the police registered an FIR only after a court order. However, there has been no hearing in the case so far. Non-disabled passengers regularly enter the disabled compartment, behave arrogantly and speak to us rudely. The Railway Protection Force (RPF) and the Government Railway Police (GRP) are not protecting us."
Gaikwad said the situation has reached a point where disabled citizens are unable to travel safely even in compartments legally reserved for them.
"Some able-bodied women misuse their status to abuse, assault and even threaten disabled passengers with false cases. This has created an atmosphere of fear, making rail travel increasingly unsafe for persons with disabilities," he said. He also sought a departmental inquiry into the role of the Railway Protection Force personnel present at the scene and strict action against those found responsible for negligence.
To get details on exclusive and budget-friendly property deals in Mumbai & surrounding regions, do visit: https://budgetproperties.in/
