Mumbai TC makes discriminatory remarks on communities in audio clip; suspended

Mumbai: The Western Railway (WR) has suspended a Mumbai-based Ticket Collector (TC) after an audio clip, in which he is purportedly heard making objectionable remarks against Maharashtra natives and a minority community, went viral on social media.

Ticket collector Ashish Pande, originally hailing from Uttar Pradesh who currently resides in Mumbai's Vikhroli area, was suspended on Sunday (September 22), pending an inquiry, said the WR's Divisional Railway Manager (DRM), Mumbai, after the clip's content triggered an uproar.

The audio clip was posted on X on September 22 by a social media user and it quickly went viral. In the clip, Pande is purportedly heard making disparaging remarks against Maharashtrians and a minority community.

Responding swiftly, the Western Railway announced the TC's suspension 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. Appropriate actions will be determined based on the findings to uphold our standards and ensure the integrity of our services," the DRM said on X while replying to clip-related comments.