Mumbai: The frequent arguments between disabled and able-bodied passengers over the latter travelling in local train coaches reserved for the handicapped took a horrific turn on Thursday, when a 63-year-old amputee was pushed off a moving local and killed by an able-bodied co-traveller. Govt Railway Police (GRP) officials who subsequently arrested the accused, Amjad Shaikh, said the two had a row over seats.This is the third incident this year of a commuter being murdered by a co-traveller over an altercation related to train travel.Cajetan Pires, the victim, was unmarried and lived in Santacruz. Around two decades ago, Pires had an accident while working as a plumber and lost his leg. He had been using crutches since. On Thursday, he boarded the handicapped coach of a Borivli slow local from Mahim station to travel to Santacruz.Police said Shaikh, 48, was occupying a seat in the coach. Pires asked him to vacate the seat as it was reserved for the disabled. This led to an argument between the two men which ended with Shaikh shoving Pires out of the moving train. Pires landed on the tracks near Bandra creek and sustained head injuries. Other passengers caught hold of Shaikh and someone pulled the alarm chain.Around 1.24pm, when the train reached platform no 1 of Bandra station, Shaikh was handed over to the cops. An eyewitness from the coach informed the cops what had happened. A police team rushed to the tracks and moved Pires to Bhabha Hospital where he was admitted to the ICCU. He later succumbed to his injuries.“I cannot understand why someone would have a grudge against my brother. He was disabled,” said Joseph, Pires’ brother. Pires has five siblings.Shaikh told the GRP that he lived on a footpath near a dargah at Churchgate and was traveling to Borivali for having free khichdi at a charity. Police have booked him on charges of murder and will produce him before court on Friday.
