Man boards train at 10:42pm, stabbed minutes later: How a rain-soaked argument turned deadly on a Mumbai local

ON tues nighttime in bombay, 22-year-old Mayank Lohar had simply ruined work and was heading home to Virar. As he boarded a local train from Andheri, little did he know he would be stabbed multiple times by the time his train reached Borivali. The trigger, police say, was a dispute over whether the train door should remain open during heavy rain.ALSO READ | Passenger stabbed to death on Mumbai local after dispute over coach doorA routine journey homeMayank Lohar worked as a salesman at a Westside store in Andheri West. After completing his shift, he boarded the Churchgate-Nallasopara fast local from Andheri station at 10:42 pm, HT reported earlier.Tuesday was also when monsoon arrived in Mumbai. Heavy rain lashed parts of the city, and passengers packed into train compartments as they headed home.According to investigators, Lohar found himself standing near the doorway of the crowded first-class coach. Another passenger, later identified as 30-year-old Sachin Ramesh Suvarna, was also near the entrance, as per PTI.Then started a disagreement over the compartment door.The argumentPolice said one of the men wanted the door kept open, while the other objected because of the rain dripping into the coach.The argument got heated as the train moved between Andheri and Borivali stations.Then, Suvarna allegedly pulled out a sharp weapon, locally known as a "sattu", and attacked Lohar. Investigators said Mayank was stabbed in the abdomen and chest before collapsing inside the compartment.ALSO READ | Family opposed live-in relationship: Bengaluru engineer's chilling confession after triple murderEscape before the train stoppedThe train arrived at Borivali station at 11:04 pm, HT reported earlier.According to police, Suvarna jumped out of the coach before the train came to a complete halt and disappeared into the crowd.Within minutes, personnel from the Government Railway Police (GRP) and Railway Protection Force (RPF) reached the compartment. Medical staff, a stretcher and porters were mobilised as authorities attempted to save the injured passenger.Mayank Lohar was first taken to the station's emergency medical room and later shifted to Shatabdi Hospital in Kandivali. Despite efforts to treat him, doctors declared him dead.His father later spoke to reporters, requesting cops to arrest the accused. “This should not happen to anyone else’s son. If people like this continue to be on moving trains, my child has died today, and tomorrow someone else’s child will also die. Please quickly catch and punish him," he said. The hunt across MumbaiGRP formed seven investigation teams and began tracing the suspect's movements. Officers reviewed footage from nearly 400 CCTV cameras across Andheri, Borivali, Mira Road, Nallasopara and nearby entry and exit points, PTI reported.The footage eventually helped investigators identify the attacker as Sachin Suvarna, a resident of Mira Road who worked at the Sahar Cargo Complex near Mumbai airport.Police said Suvarna returned home after the incident and told his father he had been involved in an altercation on a train. Fearing arrest, he allegedly left again around midnight and planned to flee Mumbai.Investigators tracked him to Panvel and arrested him within hours.It is the second stabbing reported on the Western Railway line this year. In February, 32-year-old college lecturer Alok Singh was allegedly stabbed during an altercation while trying to get off a train at Malad station. Police arrested the accused.(With PTI inputs)