Bombay HC raps activist who petitioned against railways

Mumbai: The Bombay high court on Friday rapped an activist who filed petitions against the railways after 23 deaths occurred at Elphinstone station recently due to a stampede. The court said that only after people died, the activist came up with the petitions, and before that everyone had closed their eyes.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice Manjula Chellur and Justice Nitin Jamdar was hearing two PILs filed by activist Vikrant Tawde seeking judicial inquiry into the recent Elphinstone Station stampede in which 23 commuters were killed and 30 injured.

The other PIL was filed by Smita Mayank Dhruva, president of Congress’s South Mumbai division, asked the railways to take measures to prevent such incidents in the future.

After the incident, four PILs were filed in the high court seeking directions to the railways to take measures to ensure that such an incident is not repeated at any other railway station.

The court noted that the station was constructed hundred of years ago, and no one realised the problem and closed their eyes until the incident occurred.

She also said, “This is a serious problem but these petitioners only want to self-advertise. Therefore, we are appointing a lawyer Zal Andhyarujina, as amicus curiae to assist the court.” The court said all theses prayers in the petition should have come before the incident and directed petitioner Dhruva to file an affidavit stating about the work she has done in the past for the cause at the Elphinstone station. The court has kept the matter for four weeks later for further hearing.