The bail hearing in the Mumbai local train stabbing case, in which 22-year-old Mayank Lohar died after being attacked inside a moving train, will be heard on November 20 after the accused claimed he was a bystander who tried to stop a quarrel.
Roshan Suvarna, 30, has sought bail in the case. Through his advocate Prince Kumar Upadhyay, Suvarna’s plea says he was injured while intervening in a fight between Lohar and an unidentified man, and was falsely implicated after the alleged attacker fled. The defence has said Suvarna and Lohar were strangers, that there was no motive or premeditation, that no weapon was recovered from him, and that CCTV footage did not capture the stabbing.
Lohar’s family has opposed the bail plea, saying they fear for their safety and that of witnesses. In its intervention plea, the family described the incident as an unprovoked murder and said releasing Suvarna could prejudice the prosecution and erode public confidence in commuter safety.
The incident took place late on June 23, 2026, on a Nalasopara-bound fast local travelling from Andheri. Police said Lohar was returning from work when a dispute began near the train door after rainwater splashed into the compartment. Passengers reportedly separated the men before the alarm chain was pulled between Goregaon and Malad.
According to the family’s reply, the alleged attacker later approached Lohar at another location in the compartment, removed a knife from his bag and stabbed him in the chest and abdomen before threatening passengers and fleeing. Lohar was taken to Shatabdi Hospital, where he was declared dead before admission.
The defence has questioned the identification process and said CCTV did not show the stabbing. It has also relied on Suvarna’s claim that he suffered injuries while attempting to intervene. The family, however, says Suvarna was traced through technical evidence, a doctor connected Lohar’s injuries to the weapon, and the knife seller identified him. It has also argued that there is no medical evidence supporting the accused’s injury claim.
The competing accounts will now be considered in the bail proceedings. The family has maintained that Lohar was unarmed and had not assaulted anyone. The court is scheduled to hear Suvarna’s bail plea on November 20.
