The family of 19-year-old Haley Momaya, who lost her life after being struck by a suburban train near Sandhurst Road station in south Mumbai on Thursday, has held union leaders responsible for the flash protest that disrupted train movement. The agitation was staged over an FIR filed against two engineers in the June 9 Mumbra accident case, and resulted in significant delays on the Central Railway. Haley’s relatives alleged that the sudden disruption forced passengers to deboard trains and walk on the tracks, leading to the fatal incident. They demanded “immediate action” against those who participated in the protest.
An official told PTI, "Two persons were brought dead to the hospital, while three were injured. Of these, two took discharge against medical advice (DAMA), while one is being treated at the facility." The official earlier explained that the victims had stepped off on the wrong side and were walking along the tracks when they were hit. “We want immediate action against the union leaders (behind the flash protest),” Hindustan Times quoted a relative as saying. Haley lived in Matunga with her parents, Priyesh and Sheetal, and was travelling with her 45-year-old aunt, Khushbu Momaya.
Haley’s father, Priyesh Momaya, expressed his anguish, stating, “People were frustrated as the train was stationary for a long and she got down. I don’t know what happened after that. All of this happened because of the protest.” A relative further told HT that the train was overcrowded and Haley struggled to breathe inside the compartment. “Unable to breathe in the crowded, stationary train, Haley followed some other passengers and alighted from the train along with her aunt. They then began walking on the tracks towards CSMT when an Ambernath-bound train hit them,” the relative said, recalling the sequence of events.
Central Railway employees staged a protest at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) on Thursday evening, halting suburban services for nearly an hour in response to the FIR lodged against the engineers. Services remained suspended between 5:50 pm and 6:45 pm before resuming after senior officials assured protesters of addressing the matter with state authorities. Swapnil Nila, Central Railway’s Chief Public Relations Officer, informed PTI that staff at CSMT prevented motormen and train managers from operating trains, causing heavy congestion during peak hours. The disruption resulted in overcrowded platforms and inconvenience to lakhs of commuters.
The June 9 Mumbra incident, which had prompted the FIR, resulted in four fatalities when two trains—one headed to Kasara and another towards CSMT—crossed each other on a sharp curve. As per PTI, police stated that some footboard passengers fell after their backpacks brushed against one another, causing them to topple onto the tracks. Following a detailed investigation, Thane railway police booked a senior section engineer and another section engineer under section 125(a)(b) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for acts endangering life and personal safety. The charges sparked strong resentment among Central Railway staff.