This piece relates to what recently happened in a busy Mumbai local train – in broad daylight a senseless ‘rage’ crime was committed. It shook me because in two decades of commuting, one learnt to cope with the rush, jostling for space and someone beating you to a seat. It’s still a given that despite other means of available transport, a major part of Mumbai’s workforce travels by local trains day after day, year after year, for cost & convenience. It’s Mumbai’s ‘lifeline’ & any disruption to it throws the city out of gear !
In all my years of using locals (my daily to & fro commute to Churchgate involved about two-three hours ) was initially cumbersome but was still the fastest mode as compared to travel by road in choc-a-bloc peak hour traffic on all roads, highways. As one finds out gradually, life on the locals has its own flavor and rules ! In First Class, while only three can occupy one bench, its generally packed during peak hours and standing allowed up to one’s toes & face. A joke I first learnt was that the only difference between 1st & 2nd class was the crowds smell different ! The veteran commuters travel in groups and play cards through the journey, ‘Bhajan singing’ is popular and vendors also ply their stuff.
There have been various minor incidents that I’ve encountered. In early days, I once found my pocket picked. But imagine, purse had been skillfully put back minus the cash. With time I learnt the ropes like safely getting off a slowing train & avoiding hanging out as some do. Scuffles and altercations over seats or space have been rare and I’ve found co-passengers offering their seat to seniors. I’d also get chatty with familiar looking faces & made some lifelong friends who I’m still in touch with after retiring. In my experience, Mumbai commuters are educated for apart from service class, many are shop owners, working professionals & successful businessmen.
So I was utterly shocked to read that a young man in his 30s and a Maths Teacher by profession could get into an angry exchange over getting better space before alighting at station, that he was attacked by a sharp object and later died on his way to the hospital. His assailant fled the scene but was later apprehended by swift Mumbai police action. One knows of vehicle accidents & road ’rage’ violence, but to resort to killer attack only because of an altercation on a local, boggles the mind. What is this world coming to ?
Working on Living 