Holi mischief gone wrong: Powder thrown in train kills 1, injures 7

One person died and seven were injured, two critically, when they fell off a suburban train in Mumbai after a coloured powder was thrown at them from a train going in the opposite direction, that some alleged caused a burning sensation in their eyes. All the injured were travelling on board a suburban train from Dadar to Thane on Central Railways around 7:45 pm yesterday, when a passenger from a train going in the opposite direction towards south Mumbai threw some yellow coloured powder at them near the Kurla station, reported the Times of India. The passengers on whom the powder said they suffered from irritation and other symptoms of uneasiness due to which they lost their grip and fell off the train, reported the Hindu. The incident was reported by the operator of another south bound train who saw the passengers lying on the tracks. [caption id=“attachment_675192” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  The injured persons were standing near the door of the train. Reuters[/caption] An official was quoted as saying that they are investigating the powder that was thrown and have collected samples from the passenger’s clothes. One report stated that the miscreants who threw the powder may have mixed chilli powder with colour before throwing it at the passengers. The passenger who died of his injuries was identified as 30-year-old Nityanand, a marine engineer from Tamil Nadu, and two of the injured persons identified as, Deepak and Srinivas, are said to be in critical condition. Two of those who fell off the train were discharged after treatment. Government Railway police officials have said they have increased vigilance along the suburban railways in the run up to Holi, and will further intensify it after this incident. They have registered a  case of death due to negligence against unknown persons over the incident. Incidents of water balloons and other articles being thrown at passengers on board Mumbai’s suburban trains have been seen in the past as well. Even the use of colours has claimed lives in the past in Mumbai. Last year, a child died and over 200 were admitted in hospitals after they found some abandoned toxic colours which they used during Holi festivities.