Woman ‘molested’ on bridge in Mumbai as she lay dying after stampede

A woman who lay dying on a bridge following a deadly stampede was allegedly molested by a passer-by as she reached out for help, according to reports.

At least 22 people died and 32 others were injured when a stampede broke out on a crowded pedestrian bridge between two railway stations in Mumbai on Friday morning.

The crush led some commuters to leap over the railing, while other were crushed or trampled underfoot during the deadly incident

Video footage of the alleged assault saw her reach out for help before dropping her hand. She died on the bridge, The Hindu reported.

Government Railway Police commissioner Niket Kaushik told the newspaper that he would initiate an inquiry into the alleged assault.

“Many people stole purses and gold ornaments from women victims. This molestation video is really shameful. How can someone molest a girl fighting for life and asking for help? The culprits should be punished,” local resident Jayshree Kanade told the newspaper.

Mumbai police said on Tuesday the bystander who allegedly molested the woman had been trying to help her.

“The victim got stuck in between the railing of the bridge. The commuter tried to drag her out. He rested her body on his foot and was trying to pull her and grabbed her by the chest,” a senior official told The Indian Express.

Policemen inspect the site of a stampede at a railway station's pedestrian overbridge in Mumbai, India September 29, 2017 (REUTERS/ShaileshAndrade)

“His intention was to save her and not molest her,” he said.

Police are investigating what caused the stampede. Gansham Patel, a Mumbai police official, said falling concrete had hit part of the bridge, leading people to believe it was collapsing and causing them to surge forwards.

"There were too many people on the bridge, and the people were in hurry and wanted to move out," said Brijesh Upadhyay, one of the many caught in the crowd. "There was nobody helping, it was very suffocating, and we just wanted to get out of there — and fell on each other."

As Mumbai police appealed to citizens to donate blood to help the injured, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences to the families of those killed.

"Prayers with those who are injured," Mr Modi tweeted.