Days after the shocking murder of a young man aboard a Churchgate–Nalasopara local train over a trivial altercation, another violent incident has raised fresh concerns over deteriorating law and order and growing intolerance in Mumbai.
A 35-year-old man was brutally stabbed outside Mahim railway station following a minor shoulder bump that caused the accused’s mobile phone to fall to the ground.
The victim, identified as Naveen Subhash Prasanna (35), sustained a serious stab injury to his abdomen and is currently undergoing treatment at Sion Hospital.
The accused fled the scene after the attack and remains absconding.
Mahim Police have launched a manhunt and are scanning CCTV footage from the area to identify and arrest the attacker.
According to the police, Naveen, a resident of Qureshi Mahal Compound in Pitambar Lane, Mahim West, has been living in the locality with his family for the past 25 years. He works as an office boy at a private company in Lower Parel and is the sole earning member of his family.
The incident occurred on the night of June 25, 2026, after Naveen returned from work. At around 10:00 pm, he got off at Mahim railway station and was walking home along Senapati Bapat Marg. As he reached near the Bata Shoe Mart, he accidentally brushed shoulders with an unidentified man approaching from the opposite direction. The minor collision caused the accused’s mobile phone to slip from his hand and fall onto the road.
Police said Naveen immediately apologised, explaining that the collision was unintentional. However, the accused became enraged and started abusing him in public. Naveen reportedly told him that the phone had not been damaged and attempted to walk away.
The accused, however, continued following him. At around 10:15 pm, near the New India Bar on Senapati Bapat Marg, he confronted Naveen once again. He then allegedly pulled out a concealed knife and stabbed him on the left side of his abdomen.
Naveen collapsed on the road in a pool of blood. Hearing his cries for help, people from nearby hotels and paan stalls rushed to intervene. The accused allegedly waved the blood-stained knife at the crowd and threatened to kill anyone who came near him. Terrified by his aggressive behaviour, the bystanders backed away, allowing him to escape.
Despite suffering a serious injury, Naveen managed to reach his home, from where his brothers rushed him to Sion Hospital for emergency treatment.
Mahim Police have registered a case against the unidentified assailant under relevant sections pertaining to attempt to murder. Investigators are examining CCTV footage from the vicinity in an effort to trace and arrest the accused at the earliest.
