Mumbai: A 24-year-old carpenter from Nalasopara, Tausif Shaikh, suffered serious injuries after being kicked off a moving local train by a co-passenger following a heated argument over blocking the general coach door on Tuesday night. Government Railway Police (GRP) have arrested the accused, Nalasopara resident Rahul Kumar Pandey (30), on charge of attempt to commit murder.The incident comes less than a week after a 63-year-old amputee, Cajetan Pires, was pushed off the handicapped coach of a local train by a co-passenger following a row over seats and died. Three murders have been reported on Western Railway suburban trains this year so far, involving co-passengers and travel-related disputes.On Tuesday, Shaikh and his colleague Hussain Ali boarded a Virar slow local from Goregaon station at 8.40pm to return home. Pandey boarded at Kandivli station and stood opposite Shaikh and Ali, who were standing at the door of the general coach.A few minutes later, as the train arrived at Borivli station, Shaikh suggested that Pandey move further into the coach as there was space inside and it would help others alight easily. This sparked an altercation between them. Ali intervened and a scuffle broke out. Just as the train left from Borivli station, Pandey moved towards Shaikh and kicked him in the back. Shaikh fell off the train and landed on the tracks, injuring his head, right hand, thigh and right ankle.According to the FIR, an injured Shaikh stumbled over to Borivli station. There, GRP officials took him to the emergency medical room where he was given first aid. By then Ali brought Pandey to the GRP chowky, where he was placed under arrest. Shaikh was taken to Babasaheb Ambedkar Hospital in Kandivli for treatment.When Shaikh did not reach home, his family panicked. “I kept calling my son the entire night wondering why he hadn’t come home,” his mother told TOI. “I did not know that he was seriously injured and his phone was damaged. Around 1.30am, someone answered my call and said he was in hospital. We rushed there.” Shaikh has been finding it difficult to speak. “Doctors have sutured his head and advised rest,” his mother said.Shaikh’s brother Hasnain said: “My brother had done nothing wrong. The culprit should get severe punishment.”Past cases of fatal attacks on local trains by co-travellers this year* August 20: A 63-year-old amputee, Cajetan Pires, was allegedly pushed off the handicapped coach of a local train between Mahim and Bandra stations by an able-bodied commuter, Amjad Shaikh. Pires had asked Shaikh to vacate a seat as he did not have a disability, but Shaikh refused to do so. Co-passengers intervened and offered to give up a seat, but to no avail. Shaikh was handed over to the police when the train reached Bandra station* June 23: A 21-year-old employee of a clothing retail outlet, Mayank Lohar, was allegedly murdered by a co-traveller, Roshan Suvarna, over a fight about keeping the compartment door open amid heavy rain. Lohar was stabbed three times and the compartment was soaked with blood. Suvarna hopped off the train at Borivli and escaped. He was arrested the next day from Panvel. The knife was found by a restaurant staffer in a lane outside Borivli station* January 24: A college teacher, Alok Kumar Singh, was allegedly murdered by a co-traveller, Omkar Shinde, over a trivial argument about alighting at Malad station. Singh was travelling with a colleague and was standing near the door of the compartment. While alighting, Shinde pierced him with a pair of tweezers, causing severe internal bleeding. Shinde was arrested the next day and the tweezers were recovered from Malad station
