Eventually, it turned out to be a huge misunderstanding, and the man was taken away safely, while the Sandhurst Road station's booking office suffered damage
The booking office and other material at Sandhurst Road station were damaged. Pic/Suresh Karkera
What had started off as a well-meaning gesture to protect an elderly man from harassment, quickly escalated into vandalism and violence, as commuters pelted railway staffers with stones. Eventually, it turned out to be a huge misunderstanding, and the man was taken away safely, while the Sandhurst Road station's booking office suffered damage.
ADVERTISEMENT
A misunderstanding
Sources said a senior citizen was sleeping outside the station manager's office, and when a railway pointsman went to wake him, he started shouting and crying. Commuters gathered quickly, mistakenly assuming that the old man was being harassed.
Before anyone could explain what was happening, the angry mob damaged the booking office and started hurling rocks at the staff. The station master had to call the police. The Dongri police whisked away the drunk man and brought the situation under control. The windows of the booking office and other railway material were damaged.
Catch up on all the latest Mumbai news, crime news, current affairs, and also a complete guide on Mumbai from food to things to do and events across the city here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates