The Crime Investigation Department (CID) of the Maharashtra Police is investigating the death of a 35-year-old man who died while in the custody of the Railway Protection Force (RPF) at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) in Mumbai, an official said.
Imran Shaikh, the deceased, had come to the city from Khandwa in Madhya Pradesh in search of employment, a police official said.
On Sunday (September 20, 2026), he made inquiries about trains bound for Khandwa at the main RPF post at CSMT, according to Central Railway (CR) officials. He appeared agitated and claimed that people were trying to kill him, they said. Mr. Shaikh then turned aggressive and allegedly attacked RPF Sub-Inspector Aniket, and also inflicted injuries on himself, according to the CR officials.
He was restrained. Some time later, he was allowed to use the restroom. When he failed to respond after seven to eight minutes, officers opened the door and found him lying unconscious.
He was taken to St. George Hospital, where doctors declared him dead on arrival.
While the CSMT Government Railway Police (GRP) registered a case of unnatural death, Mr. Shaikh’s family members alleged that he was assaulted while in custody.
While no identification cards or mobile phone were found on him, the authorities recovered an unreserved railway ticket for the Khandwa-Bhusawal route dated September 18, 2026, and another for the Nashik-Dadar route dated September 19, 2026.
His photograph has been sent to the Bhusawal division, and the local police have been asked to trace his movements before he arrived at CSMT, the police official said.
As his death occurred in police custody, the investigation was transferred to the CID (Konkan Range), he said.
The exact cause of death will be determined once the autopsy report and CCTV footage are analysed, the official added.
Published – September 22, 2026 05:37 pm IST
