The High Court of Bombay has received a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking that railway officials be booked for negligence and culpable homicide in connection with the stampede at the Elphinstone Road railway station in which 22 people lost their lives.
A resident of the city named Pradeep Bhalekar submitted the PIL on Friday to the high court registry.
“The registry has received the petition. We will mention it on October 3,” said Bhalekar’s advocate Nitin Satpute.
The petition demands an inquiry into the incident, insisting the high court to supervise the matter and issue appropriate directions.
The PIL stated the issue of the Elphinstone Road bridge being too narrow had been raised by citizens several times before but the government and the railways never paid any attention to it.
“This amounts to absolute negligence on part of the railways. A case under section 304 (II) of the Indian Penal Code for culpable homicide needs to be registered against the railway officials concerned,” the petition said.
The plea also sought measures to be undertaken to ensure safety of commuters.
“The railways has to be also directed to take action against illegal hawkers and encroachers on foot overbridges (FoB) to reduce crowding,” the PIL said.
