The Western Railway (WR) has suspended a Mumbai-based Ticket Collector after an audio clip surfaced wherein he is purportedly heard making objectionable remarks against Maharashtra natives and Muslim community.
Ticket Collector (TC) Ashish Pande, hailing from Uttar Pradesh and currently residing in Mumbai’s Vikhroli area, was suspended on Sunday, the WR’s Mumbai Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) said after the clip’s content triggered an uproar.
Pande, originally from Uttar Pradesh and residing in Vikhroli, Mumbai, was refusing to support businesses operated by individuals from these communities or to use auto-rickshaws driven by them.
An audio recording of Pande’s comments surfaced on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) on September 22, at approximately 5:33 PM, and has since gone viral, amassing nearly 2,000 reposts and over 785,000 views.
In the clip, Pande reportedly states, “I don’t give business to Muslims and Maharashtrians. I don’t sit in autos of Muslims and Maharashtrians,” raising significant alarm and public outcry throughout Maharashtra. The incident has now aggravated tensions within the region, particularly concerning migrant workers and their relations with local communities.
Responding swiftly, the Western Railway announced the TC’s suspension on Sunday and ordered an inquiry.
“We take this matter very seriously. The staff commenting adversely about the religious community and Maharashtrians has been suspended immediately, pending an inquiry. A thorough investigation will be conducted to ensure accountability,” the DRM said on X while replying to clip-related comments.
“Appropriate actions will be determined based on the findings to uphold our standards and ensure the integrity of our services,” the official added
