Thane, Maharashtra: The Thane court is set to pronounce its order on Thursday regarding the pre-arrest bail plea of two Railway engineers accused in connection with the Mumbra train accident that claimed five lives in June. The incident, which occurred on June 9, involved two local trains—one heading to Kasara and the other to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) in Mumbai—passing each other on a sharp curve between Diva and Mumbra stations, resulting in commuters standing on the footboards falling onto the tracks.

The two engineers, assistant divisional engineer Vishal Dolas and senior section engineer Samar Yadav, along with other railway officers, have been booked for culpable homicide. The case was registered by the Government Railway Police (GRP) on November 1, following a detailed probe into the incident. The engineers are responsible for the maintenance of tracks, and the prosecution alleges that negligence on their part led to the tragic accident.

During the hearing before Additional Sessions Judge G T Pawar on Wednesday, defence counsel Baldev Rajput described the prosecution’s theory blaming the engineers as “completely baseless and misleading.” Rajput challenged the claim that a passenger’s bag caused the accident, highlighting that the panchnama, or spot assessment, was conducted two days after the incident. He argued that by that time, it was improbable for evidence to remain intact. He also submitted videos showing bags at the site and evidence indicating that coach number 3 of the Kasara local train was overcrowded at the time.

The defence further presented records of 28 trains passing the same spot on the day of the incident and CCTV footage from nearby stations to support their argument that overcrowding, rather than negligence, was the primary cause. “The videos clearly show that the coach was heavily overcrowded, making it difficult to attribute the accident solely to track maintenance lapses,” Rajput submitted.

The prosecution, however, maintained that the accident occurred due to lapses in the engineers’ responsibilities. They argued that proper track maintenance could have prevented the tragedy and insisted that the accused should be held accountable for their alleged negligence.

The Mumbra train accident unfolded when two local trains passed each other on a sharp curve, causing passengers standing on the footboards to lose balance as their backpacks brushed against one another. The incident resulted in the death of five commuters and raised concerns over overcrowding in local trains and the safety of standing passengers.

The case has drawn attention to the responsibilities of railway staff in ensuring commuter safety and maintaining tracks, particularly in high-density suburban train routes. The decision on the pre-arrest bail plea will determine whether the engineers face immediate arrest or are allowed temporary relief while the investigation continues.

The court is expected to announce its verdict on Thursday, which will be closely watched by both railway authorities and public safety advocates. The hearing underscores ongoing concerns over accountability, safety protocols, and infrastructure maintenance within India’s suburban railway network.

The engineers have maintained that the overcrowded conditions of the trains, rather than any negligence on their part, led to the accident. The case highlights the challenges faced in managing Mumbai’s local train system, where passenger density often exceeds safe limits, increasing the risk of accidents.

The outcome of the bail plea could set an important precedent for similar cases in the future, balancing individual accountability of railway officials with systemic issues such as overcrowding and commuter safety. The GRP and the railway authorities continue to investigate the incident thoroughly, with the aim of preventing recurrence of such tragedies in the heavily used suburban rail network of Maharashtra.