Mumbai police to investigate incidents of molestation during Elphinstone stampede

While many tried to help those trapped at the Elphinstone bridge, reports reveal there were also incidents of molestation and theft.

Mumbai: Mumbai police is set to initiate an inquiry into incidents of molestation and theft during and after the Friday's stampede at the Elphinstone railway station's foot-over-bridge. 23 people died in the unfortunate incident while dozens were grievously injured.

Several reports quoting eyewitnesses say that women trapped on the bridge during the stampede were molested and that there were incidents of theft in the immediate aftermath of the tragedy. One such report in The Hindu quotes people at the station around the time as saying that while many rushed to help those trapped, there were also some with nefarious intent. What has added to the anger is the emergence of a video which shows a woman trapped under the bodies reaching out for help while a man standing next to her - apparantly to help - brushing his hands against her body. The woman's hands rise for help and then drops. It is not clear if the said woman was one of the 23 dead.

Understandably, it has led to a lot of anger with people questioning how incidents of molestation and theft can occur in the immediate aftermath of such a tragedy. It has forced even the Government Railway Police to initiate an inquiry. "This case comes under Mumbai Police, but I will also initiate an inquiry," Niket Kaushik, Commissioner, Government Railway Police, was quoted as saying by The Hindu.