A 25-year-old man died of a heart attack at a municipal hospital after falling unconscious while travelling on a Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT)–Panvel local train. The family has alleged that timely medical assistance was not provided as the ambulance driver was not available and was on lunch break.
According to media reports, the deceased has been identified as Harsh Patel. He boarded the local train from Chembur to Panvel at 1.37 pm on December 2. During the journey, he suddenly fell unconscious. Fellow passengers immediately alerted the Government Railway Police (GRP) helpline.
When the train reached Vashi railway station, GRP personnel shifted Harsh to a 108 ambulance. However, it was found that the ambulance driver was not present at the time, reportedly having gone for lunch. Due to the absence of the driver, Harsh could not be taken to the hospital immediately.
Eventually, passengers and GRP personnel transported him to the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation Hospital (NMMC) in Vashi using a police jeep. Doctors later declared him dead.
“The cause of death is an acute heart attack. The ambulance driver was expected to be available 24 hours. Leaving the ambulance without any alternative arrangement amounts to negligence,” said Vashi GRP Senior Police Inspector Kiran Undre. He added that Harsh had pre-existing health issues.
Meanwhile, on December 18, Harsh’s sister Amikaa Patel shared a video on social media, levelling serious allegations against the railway administration. She claimed that Vashi station lacked basic emergency facilities such as stretchers, wheelchairs, first-aid equipment and trained staff to administer CPR.
She alleged that due to the absence of the ambulance driver, her brother did not receive treatment during the crucial ‘golden hour’, which led to his death. “CCTV footage shows my brother boarding the train in a completely healthy condition. He was travelling as usual,” Amika said.
She further stated that the train reached Vashi station around 1.57 pm and suspected that her brother may have collapsed before that. “We rushed to the station after receiving the information, but due to the lack of emergency facilities, he was carried out of the subway using clothes with the help of citizens,” she added.
“There was a 108 ambulance parked outside the station, but no driver was present. Around 2.10 pm, we placed my brother inside the ambulance and waited. Those few minutes were extremely important,” Amika said, adding that she eventually had to insist on taking him to the hospital in a police vehicle.
She also claimed that station authorities admitted to recurring issues due to the lack of emergency arrangements. “Sometimes drivers go on leave, sometimes ambulances are sent for repairs, and there is no backup,” she alleged.
Amika further said that when she attempted to file a written complaint at the Vashi GRP post, it was not accepted and she was asked to approach the Divisional Railway Manager’s (DRM) office at CSMT. The family has since filed a complaint with the DRM. Attempts to contact the Central Railway’s public relations officer for a response were unsuccessful.
The recent incident of a young woman being pushed out of a moving train and the death of a young man due to alleged delays in medical assistance have once again raised concerns over passenger safety and emergency preparedness within the railway system.