_Suresh Rajpurohit _

*Mumbai.* The sensational murder of 22-year-old salesman Mayank Lohar in front of hundreds of passengers inside the local train — called the lifeline of India’s financial capital Mumbai — has once again raised serious question marks on security arrangements for passengers in railway premises and local trains. After this incident, fear and a sense of insecurity have settled in the minds of millions of daily commuters.

However, Borivali GRP acted swiftly and arrested the accused, Roshan Suvarna, from Kurla within 24 hours of the FIR being registered. To reach the accused, police scanned footage from nearly 400 CCTV cameras. But the entire incident has raised the question: How was a person traveling on a moving train carrying a sharp weapon, and where did the systems meant to ensure passenger safety fail?

*A minor dispute took a bloody turn*

According to police, it was raining heavily in Mumbai at the time of the incident. Rainwater was entering the coach through the local train’s door. During this, Mayank Lohar requested accused Roshan Suvarna to close the door. An argument started between them over this.

As per eyewitnesses, the accused first abused and assaulted him in anger, and then pulled out a sharp weapon from his pocket and stabbed Mayank multiple times in the stomach. Mayank, critically injured, collapsed inside the coach, while the accused fled the scene. When the train reached Borivali, passengers informed the railway police, after which an investigation began. Police have also accused the accused’s father of helping hide his son.

*Memory of Prof. Alok Singh murder case resurfaced*

This incident also brought back memories of the murder of Professor Alok Singh on 24 January in a moving local train near Malad station. In that case too, a minor dispute over getting off the train turned violent, and the accused attacked and killed him with a sharp weapon.

Such incidents coming to light repeatedly have increased passengers’ anxiety. People say that now during travel there’s a constant fear that someone might get provoked over a trivial matter at any time and attack an innocent commuter.

*Fear among passengers, demand for stricter security measures*

Passengers who travel daily by local train say that crores of people travel on Mumbai locals, but security arrangements are still not adequate. Commuters have made the following demands to the railway administration and security agencies —

- Metal detectors and baggage scanners should be installed mandatorily at all major railway stations.
- Provision for strict punishment and heavy fines should be made against those traveling with sharp weapons.
- Patrolling by Railway Protection Force (RPF) and GRP should be increased on platforms and in trains.
- Plainclothes security personnel should be deployed on sensitive routes.
- Emergency security alert systems in every coach of local trains should be made more effective.
- CCTV surveillance should be strengthened and real-time monitoring arrangements put in place.

*Need to review security arrangements*

Railway security experts believe that merely arresting the accused after an incident is not enough. What’s needed is to prevent such incidents before they happen. Millions of people travel daily on Mumbai locals, and providing a safe environment for passengers should be the railway administration’s top priority.

The Mayank Lohar murder case has once again made it clear that a comprehensive review and concrete corrective steps are needed regarding security arrangements in railway premises. If effective measures are not taken in time, the growing fear and sense of insecurity among passengers could affect the image of the Mumbai local — one of the world’s busiest suburban rail services.

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