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By:

Minal Sancheti

2 May 2026 at 12:26:53 pm

Funeral for animals

Mumbai: On the occasion of National Animal Rights Day, a funeral was held for all the voiceless creatures that humans have killed for selfish reasons. The act was a campaign and was a brainchild of Animal Climate and Health in collaboration with Our Planet Theirs Too. The purpose was to spread awareness about animal cruelty. The campaign took place at Carter Road Amphitheatre and so a crowd of both young and old supported the cause. Speaking about animal cruelty, recently the internet was...

Funeral for animals

Mumbai: On the occasion of National Animal Rights Day, a funeral was held for all the voiceless creatures that humans have killed for selfish reasons. The act was a campaign and was a brainchild of Animal Climate and Health in collaboration with Our Planet Theirs Too. The purpose was to spread awareness about animal cruelty. The campaign took place at Carter Road Amphitheatre and so a crowd of both young and old supported the cause. Speaking about animal cruelty, recently the internet was flooded with a viral video of a group of men at Mira Road taking a piglet to a locality where goats were brought for religious sacrifice. Aparjita Ashish, the founder and director of Animal Climate and Health said, “It is an act of cruelty to kill animals for religious sacrifice but to protest against this they were harassing a baby pig. The poor pig was screaming for his life. So how’s that right? If you want to protest, protest peacefully.” Ashish also comments on the Apex Judiciary’s decision of euthanising terminally ill dogs, “If the dog has a serious illness like rabies and is in a lot of pain, with a doctor’s permission and in a peaceful manner, they should be euthanised. The apex court also spoke about the ABC or animal birth control which if done with correct procedures, can help bring down issues related to the stray dogs. Many times the process is wrong so the animals become subject to cruelty.” She even added that the strays should not be displaced as that will leave them confused. This is also an act of ill treatment. The occasion saw a large number of gatherers. According to the campaigners, being vegan is not just for protecting animals but also for the climate. Ashish explained, “If you see the name of our NGO, it is Animal Climate and Health. So we also talk about the impact of consuming animal products on the environment.” She gives an example of how methane gas is produced because of the dairy animals and how the food and resources to breed animals are so much that it affects the environment. The supporters who participated in the campaign said they also noticed many health benefits of going vegan. Anil Nagpal, a senior citizen and volunteer with the organisation said, “For many years I was going through ill health. I tried every treatment but nothing really helped much. But then someone convinced me to go vegan and since that time my health has improved drastically. After this many people in my circles who used to eat animal products have given up.” When asked what his protein sources are, he said, “I eat lentils and legumes. Vegetables also contain protein.” Ashish claimed that humans have an ego that makes them think they are above animals.

Lifeline bleeds again

Four commuters lose lives after falling from speeding local in Thane, nine hurt

Thane/Mumbai: At least four commuters fell to their death from two speeding suburban trains and another nine were injured, some seriously, between Diva and Mumbra stations of the Central Railway in Thane, during the morning peak hours on Monday, officials said.

 

Among those killed was a Government Railway Police (GRP) official, and three other office-goers, rushing to their workplaces in Mumbai.

 

The gruesome tragedy on the first work day of the week left the 8-million plus daily commuters badly shaken amid a clamour for improving the safety aspects for the commuting crowds in jam-packed suburban trains.

 

Speaking to the media, CR’s Chief Spokesperson Swapnil D. Nila said that at least 13 commuters fell from the two running trains on that sector.

 

“This is not a train accident, it is only an incident involving 13 persons… Five were rushed to a local hospital and the rest to the CSM Hospital in Kalwa for treatment,” Nila said.

 

What happened?

The tragedy occurred around 9.30 am when the guard of the train zooming from CSMT-Kasara sent an alert at 9.50 am that six persons had fallen on the railway tracks and an ambulance was hurried to render assistance which found there were eight victims.

 

The CR CPRO said that the victims were travelling on the footboard ostensibly due to overcrowding in the morning rush hours, on the Mumbra-Diva Down/Fast line.

 

Nila added that the shoulder bags of some of the commuters from the two trains hurtling in opposite directions brushed causing them to fall on the space between the tracks of the two lines, usually 1.5-2.0 metres apart, but a tilt could occur on curves, considered one of the causes behind the disaster.

An injured passenger Tushar Bhagat of Titwala, told media-persons that as the train approached the deadly curve near Mumbai, those standing near the doors got a sudden squeeze and attempted to hold on for dear life, but in seconds, he and others fell off the train, four to their deaths.

 

Probe ordered

The railways have ordered a probe into the incident while the Maharashtra government announced a compensation of Rs 10 lakhs to the kin of each deceased and all medical expenses of the injured.

 

In a knee-jerk reaction, the railways have announced that all new suburban train rakes shall be fitted with automatic closing doors, a la Metro trains, while all the existing rakes will be retrofitted with similar doors to avoid similar incidents in future.

 

List of victims: 

The dead:

Vicky Babasaheb Mukhidal, 34, a Government Railway Police official,

Ketan Dilip Saroj, 23, Ulhasnagar

Rahul Santosh Gupta,

And, an unidentified person

 

The injured:

Shiva Gawli, 23, admitted to CSM Hospital, Kalwa, now in Jupiter Hospital, Thane, critical

Sneha Donde, (Female) 21, of Titwala, stable

Priyanka Bhatia, (Female) 26, of Kalyan, stable

Anil More, 40, taken to Jupiter Hospital, stable

Aadesh Bhoir, 26, of Kasara, stable

Tushar Bhagat, 22, of Titwala, stable

Manish Saroj, 26, of Diva, stable

Rihan Sheikh, 26, of Bhiwandi, stable

Machhindra Gotarne, 39, of Vashind, stable

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