An explosion went off in the men's first class compartment on a Western railway local which left Churchgate at 1754 hrs as it was leaving the Mahim station on track 3 at around 6.20 pm.

A fire brigade official who came on the scene later said that he believes that more than 25 injured were removed from the bombed out compartment.

Advocate Chandrakant Dalvi, who was traveling in this compartment, was sitting on the tracks in a daze after the explosion. He said he could not hear anything in his left ear. He was travelling to Dahisar. He had already got in touch with his relatives to say he was safe. But he had not told them that he was on the train. The fire brigade personnel were sending him to the nearest hospital for a check-up. He said he would take a cab and go home.

The seat cushioning material was lying on the side of the tracks among chappals and shoes and bags. Luggage removed from the compartment was lying on the other side.

Nyal Chand, who was also on the train, said that all he saw was a bright orange spark and a loud bang. He says he saw a young man fall off the train due to the impact of the blast. He says people started jumping off the moving train. He says there were at least 15 casualties on that compartment.

Outside the station the road had been cordoned off and two fire engines were posted. But onlookers could view the wreckage from the footbridge and the road.

Two local trains were halted on either side of the bombed train and there was a rush of people leaving the station who were hitching rides home with lorries and tempos.