New Delhi, June 24 (IANS) A 22-year-old passenger was allegedly stabbed to death inside a first-class compartment of a Churchgate-Nallasopara fast local train following an argument over keeping the coach door open during heavy rain, police said.

The victim, identified as Mayank Lohar, a resident of Virar, was travelling in the first-class coach of Train No. 90663, when the incident occurred between Andheri and Borivali stations. Lohar worked as a salesman for a private company in Andheri and was returning home from work at the time of the incident.

According to the Government Railway Police (GRP), Lohar and the accused were travelling in the same first-class compartment after the train departed Churchgate at 10:05 p.m. As heavy rain lashed the city, Lohar reportedly asked the accused to close the coach door. The request allegedly led to a heated argument between the two passengers.

During the altercation, the accused allegedly pulled out a sharp weapon and stabbed Lohar in the abdomen, inflicting serious injuries.

The train reached Borivali Station’s Platform No. 6 at 11:04 p.m. Police said the accused jumped from the moving train near the platform before it came to a complete halt and fled from the station premises.

Western Railway said its emergency response system was activated immediately after information about the incident was received. Within three minutes of the train’s arrival, personnel from the Railway Protection Force (RPF) and GRP reached the coach and attended to the injured passenger.

A stretcher, porter and medical team were rushed to the compartment. Lohar was evacuated from the coach and taken to the Emergency Medical Room at Borivali station at 11:22 p.m., where he was examined by a doctor. On medical advice, he was shifted by ambulance to Shatabdi Hospital in Kandivali, accompanied by GRP and RPF personnel. However, he later succumbed to his injuries during treatment.

Borivali GRP has registered a murder case and launched a manhunt for the accused. Police said multiple teams have been formed to identify and apprehend the suspect. Investigators are examining CCTV footage from railway stations and gathering information from passengers who may have witnessed the attack.

The matter remains under investigation.

–IANS

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