Stampede at Mumbai Railway Station Kills at Least 22 and more

NEW DELHI — Commuters stampeded on a narrow, crowded railway station overpass in India’s financial capital, Mumbai, during the morning rush hour on Friday, leaving at least 22 suffocated or crushed to death and 36 injured.

The disaster was a stunning reminder of the poor safety conditions on India’s railways and the frequency of crowd-related accidents, even in rapidly modernizing metropolises like Mumbai.

Local news reports showed people crying for help, some jumping from the overpass and others hanging desperately from the footbridge’s rail.

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Every day, about seven-and-a-half million commuters use the sprawling train network in Mumbai and its suburbs. Nearly 3,000 people die on the network every year, with accidents killing more than 2,100 so far in 2017.

The stampede took place at the bustling Prabhadevi station, formerly called Elphinstone Road, where two lines meet.

Shruti Lokre, who was caught in the crush but survived, told the news channel NDTV that heavy rain had slowed people down even as a crowd of commuters built up behind them.

“There was not enough space even to breathe,” Ms. Lokre said. “The bridge shakes every time when there is a crowd. I saw many bodies lying around when I got out.”

Commuters have often complained of congestion on the overpass. “We asked for an extra bridge for a long time, but the authorities will not listen,” one commuter told a television crew.

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Officials have not yet given a cause for the tragedy, but India’s railway minister, Piyush Goyal, announced a review of the safety and capacity of all such spots in Mumbai’s suburban rail network, saying it would be a top priority to widen and repair overpasses where needed.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the accident on Twitter, writing: “My deepest condolences to all those who have lost their lives due to the stampede in Mumbai. Prayers with those who are injured.”

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