By:

Quaid Najmi

4 January 2025 at 3:26:24 pm

Mumbai local train murder stuns commuters

Mumbai: A routine commute to home on a dark rain-soaked night in a Mumbai local turned into a nightmare when a 22-year-old commuter was allegedly stabbed to death inside a first-class compartment following a heated argument over shutting the train door, late on Tuesday. The victim, identified as Mayank Lohar, 22, worked as a salesman with a private company in Andheri and lived in Virar, nearly 60 km from Churchgate. According to Western Railway (WR) and Government Railway Police (GRP)...

min read

Mumbai local train murder stuns commuters

Mumbai: A routine commute to home on a dark rain-soaked night in a Mumbai local turned into a nightmare when a 22-year-old commuter was allegedly stabbed to death inside a first-class compartment following a heated argument over shutting the train door, late on Tuesday. The victim, identified as Mayank Lohar, 22, worked as a salesman with a private company in Andheri and lived in Virar, nearly 60 km from Churchgate. According to Western Railway (WR) and Government Railway Police (GRP) officials, the shocking incident took place aboard the Churchgate-Nalasopara Fast Local (Train No. 90663), which left Churchgate at 10.05 pm and reached Andheri at 10.42 pm. As the train pulled out of Andheri, heavy rains started lashing the city. Lohar reportedly requested a fellow commuter standing near the doorway to shut the door, as rainwater was blowing into the compartment and inconveniencing those seated inside. The other commuter, wearing a dark shirt and trousers, allegedly refused and it started a heated verbal exchange which quickly escalated into a raging argument as the train raced through Goregaon and Malad. Then, in a horrifying burst of violence, the suspect allegedly pulled out a knife and repeatedly stabbed Lohar in the abdomen and chest as the train zoomed past Kandivali. Stunned Silence The other terrified commuters watched in stunned silence as the attack unfolded and ended within a matter of minutes claiming the young boy. Writhing in pain and bleeding profusely, Lohar collapsed onto the compartment floor as panic gripped the passengers and they scrambled away from the attacker, who reportedly continued to pace about menacingly. Eyewitnesses later said that as the train slowed while entering Borivali station’s Platform No. 6, the suspect calmly jumped off, ran up the staircase and vanished into the wet darkness. When the train halted at Borivali at 11.04 pm, the other commuters immediately alerted railway authorities. WR, GRP and medical personnel rushed to the platform within minutes with emergency equipment, medicos, porters and a stretcher. Lohar was first rushed to the station’s Emergency Medical Room, where a doctor examined him and declared him dead. His body was later shifted to Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Shatabdi Hospital in Kandivali for post-mortem and other legal formalities. Special Teams The brutal killing sent shockwaves across Mumbai’s suburban rail network. In the morning, Borivali GRP Senior Police Inspector Datta Khuperkar said seven special teams were formed and nearly 400 CCTV camera feeds were scrutinised to trace the suspect. The attacker was captured on multiple surveillance cameras, cool and casual, without a hint of remorse, walking out of Borivali station after the attack. Following an intensive 14-hour manhunt, he was tracked down and arrested at Panvel in Raigad. The Borivali GRP has registered a murder case and launched a detailed investigation. As news of the shocking crime spread amid Wednesday’s torrential rains, commuters expressed outrage and disbelief that a trivial dispute over closing a train door could culminate in such a savage killing. Pall of gloom in Virar Early Wednesday morning, the Lohar family of Virar was devastated on learning about the horrifying killing of their favourite child, Mayank in a train altercation. His parents, three brothers and a sister could barely speak, with his wailing mother demanding “he must be hanged”. Consoling each other, one sister lamented how he was a quiet boy, rarely stepped out of the house without any reason and had his entire life before him that was snuffed out. Venting their ire, they asked “where was the police, why the other commuters didn’t help him” and warned that today it was their son, “next it can be anybody’s son”. The massive dragnet Barely hours after the brutal killing of Mayank Lohar, the Borivali GRP launched one of the biggest manhunts to track and apprehend the suspected killer from Panvel in Raigad district. He was later identified as one Roshan Suvarna, 30, of Mira Road, running a barcode business, informed Borivali GRP Senior Police Inspector Datta Khuperkar. “We formed seven teams with around 10 police personnel supervised by 15 officers. They scanned footage from over 400 CCTVs to trace the regular movements of the accused. The GRP stations of Borivali, Andheri, Mira Road and Nalasopara were involved in the search. We deployed tech-intel to scour his mobile and with help of our network of informers, finally caught him in Panvel,” a weary but victorious Khuperkar told ‘The Perfect Voice’. He added that after completing the legal and medical formalities, he will be produced before a Borivali Court for remand.

Record turnout leads to talks of change

Akhilesh Sinha
Apr 24
6 min read

Political circle wonders whether the historic 92.88 per cent turnout reflects anti-incumbency or stronger support for the ruling regime

**Prime Minister Narendra Modi waves during a roadshow amid the ongoing West Bengal Assembly elections in Dum Dum, North 24 Parganas district.**

New Delhi: West Bengal's political landscape appears to be scripting a new narrative this time, one written through numbers, but rich in deeper meaning. In the first phase of the assembly elections, 92.88 per cent voting across 152 seats is not merely a statistic; it is a dense forest of political signals, where each path leads to a different conclusion. It marks the highest turnout in the state's electoral history, signaling a potentially decisive turning point.

In 2011, with a turnout of 84.33 per cent, it led to a regime change, as Mamata Banerjee unseated the Left Front government. This reinforced a conventional belief that high voter turnout often signals a desire for change. However, in 2016 and 2021, turnout hovered around 82 per cent, suggesting a plateau in voter enthusiasm. This time, the nearly 10-percentage-point surge disrupts that pattern. The central question remains exist that does this spike indicate a push for regime change, or a consolidation in favor of the incumbent?

The geography of voting in the first phase adds another layer of intrigue. Across 16 districts, Muslim-majority regions such as Murshidabad (66.27 per cent Muslim population, 93.61 per cent turnout), Malda (51.27 per cent, 94.46 per cent), Uttar Dinajpur (49.92 per cent, 94.16 per cent), and Birbhum (37.06 per cent, 94.51 per cent) recorded exceptionally high participation.

Yet, this is not a one-sided story. Districts with lower Muslim populations also reported turnout above 90 per cent: Dakshin Dinajpur (24.63 per cent Muslim population, 94.46 per cent turnout), Cooch Behar (25.54 per cent, 96.04 per cent), Jalpaiguri (11.51 per cent, 94.65 per cent), Jhargram (1.66 per cent, 92.26 per cent), and Darjeeling (3.94 per cent, 88.80 per cent).

Clear Surge

This makes it clear that the surge in turnout is not confined to any single community; it reflects comprehensive civic engagement. Yet, political analysts also interpret this through the lens of polarization, arguing that both major communities have mobilized strongly behind their respective political choices. The fact that Hindu-majority districts like Jalpaiguri and Darjeeling also witnessed high turnout suggests heightened participation across the spectrum, reinforcing the perception of deep political polarisation.

There may also be a technical explanation behind the record turnout: the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Reports indicate that around 5.1 million names were removed, potentially reducing the total voter base and thereby inflating the turnout percentage. In other words, the absolute number of voters may not have risen dramatically, but the percentage appears higher due to a smaller denominator. However, this argument does not fully capture the reality on the ground, where long queues at polling booths pointed to genuine enthusiasm.

Women Voters

Women voters have emerged as the most compelling story of this election. Female turnout stood at 92.69 per cent, compared to 90.92 per cent for men. Though the gap may seem modest, its political significance is substantial. All major parties have actively courted women voters. The Bharatiya Janata Party has promised a monthly allowance of Rs 3,000 for women and 33 per cent reservation in government jobs, while the All India Trinamool Congress continues to rely on its established welfare schemes targeting women.

Interestingly, despite women accounting for the largest share of deletions in the electoral roll, their participation remained higher than that of men. This points to a growing political awareness and assertion among women voters. The failure to pass the Women's Reservation Bill and the delimitation amendment in Parliament, which opposed by parties like Congress and TMC, may also have contributed to this heightened engagement.

Textbook Example

In Indian politics, a well-established trend suggests that higher voter turnout often correlates with regime change, driven by anti-incumbency sentiment. Dissatisfied voters tend to turn out in larger numbers. There is, however, a counterview-that when voters perceive a threat to their preferred government, they too mobilise in large numbers, though such instances are less common.

The 2011 West Bengal election remains a textbook example. High turnout ended 34 years of Left rule. Now, after 15 years in power, Mamata Banerjee faces a similar test. Does this 10 per cent surge signal an anti-incumbency wave? That question lies at the heart of the current political discourse.

Security arrangements have also played a crucial role in boosting turnout. The deployment of nearly 250,000 security personnel ensured a largely peaceful election. In contrast to the previous election, which saw around 1,300 violent incidents and 17 deaths, violence this time was significantly curtailed. Reduced fears of booth capturing and bombings enabled voters to step out without hesitation.

Such an environment activates the "silent voter." When voting is free from fear and coercion, citizens are more likely to express their true preferences. Often, this reveals underlying anti-incumbency currents. If Bengal's electorate is voting without inhibition, it may well indicate that the state's political trajectory is poised for a shift.

Political Rhetoric

Political rhetoric has only added to the intrigue. Amit Shah has declared that the "sun has set" on TMC's alleged misrule, while Narendra Modi interprets the high turnout as a sign of BJP's impending victory. In contrast, Mamata Banerjee views it as a mandate in her party's favor, framing the surge as a defense of democratic rights amid concerns over voter list revisions and potential future policies like NRC and delimitation.

Attention now turns to April 29, when the remaining 142 seats go to the polls. Will the same pattern persist, or is this surge limited to the first phase?

For now, Bengal's politics resembles a bowl of "jhalmuri" - sharp, layered, and unpredictable. Who feels the heat, and who savors victory, will only be clear on counting day. What is certain, however, is that this election is not merely about power, it is a deciding test of public sentiment and political direction.

'Gherao' of judicial officers: SC permits NIA to file chargesheet

The Supreme Court on Friday permitted the NIA to file its charge sheet on completion of investigation in the sensational incident of April 1 in West Bengal in which seven judicial officers were illegally confined by a mob in Malda district.

As many as 700 judicial officers from West Bengal, Odisha and Jharkhand are deployed in the ongoing SIR process to deal with over 60 lakh objections of those excluded from the voter list.

The top court had taken suo motu cognisance of a letter from the Chief Justice of Calcutta High Court detailing a harrowing incident of April 1 night, where seven judicial officers, including three women, and a five-year-old child were held captive by a mob for over nine hours without food or water.

Later, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) took over the probe into the case on a complaint of the Election Commission at the instruction of the top court.

On Friday, a bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi was informed by Additional Solicitor General S V Raju, appearing for the NIA, that a fresh status report was filed by the probe agency giving details of the investigation carried so far.

The bench took note of the submissions of the law officer and said, "The NIA will be at liberty to file chargesheet in a court of competent jurisdiction."

“The first phase of voting has shown that the TMC may not even be able to open its account in several districts. Now you must ensure a decisive defeat for TMC and a clear victory for the BJP. You are enduring intense heat, but I assure you that your effort will not go in vain. I will repay your dedication with interest by ensuring the development of this region.”

Narendra Modi, Prime Minister

“Those sitting in Delhi, plotting to snatch Bengal's rights and impose their agenda, should understand it clearly that the people of Bengal are watching, and they will respond through their vote. This election is about resisting a systematic attempt to weaken Bengal and control it. Those who believe they can run Bengal from Delhi, dictate its politics, divide its people, and distort its culture are deeply mistaken. This land has a long memory and a stronger spine.”

Mamata Banerjee, Chief Minister