<p>As people across the country head home for Diwali and Chhath Puja, some having reserved tickets months in advance while others scramble to find ways to travel without them, chaos erupted at Bandra railway station in Mumbai. A stampede occurred, resulting in injuries to nine passengers, with two in critical condition. According to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), the crowd waiting for Train No. 22921, which travels from Bandra to Gorakhpur, was so large that it caused the stampede on Platform No. 1. The injured passengers have been admitted to Baba Hospital in Bandra; seven of them are reported to be stable, while the condition of the other two remains serious. Accusations have been directed at the railway administration for inadequate safety measures at the station. Although a few Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel were present to request passengers to queue, no organized lines were observed when the train arrived. In the rush to board the coaches, people began climbing over each other, pulling one another as they fought to get inside. The aftermath of the stampede was alarming, with torn clothes scattered across the platform—some passengers lost shirts or pants in the chaos—and bloodstains evident, indicating serious injuries sustained during the incident. Western Railway’s Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO), Vineet Abhishek, stated that Train No. 22921 operates from Mumbai to Gorakhpur. All its coaches are general (unreserved), and while it was scheduled to depart at 5:15 PM, the train was brought to the platform 2-3 hours early to accommodate the influx of travelers during the festive season. Unfortunately, this led to passengers beginning to board the train before it was ready, resulting in the unfortunate accident. Abhishek also mentioned that significantly more holiday special trains have been operational this year compared to last, with 87 trains running from Mumbai to various stations across the country.</p>