A ticketless passenger allegedly punched a Western Railway ticket checker in the face, leaving him injured and requiring seven stitches.

A ticketless passenger allegedly punched a Western Railway ticket checker in the face during a routine ticket-checking drive at Mumbai’s Jogeshwari railway station on Wednesday evening, leaving him injured and requiring seven stitches. The Andheri Government Railway Police (GRP) have registered an FIR against the passenger, identified as Ajay Dhivar, following the alleged assault.

Ticket checker Ashish Ranjan Gupta, 33, was on duty around 5pm and checking passengers on the foot overbridge connecting platforms 3 and 4 at Jogeshwari station. When Gupta stopped Dhivar and asked him to produce his ticket, the passenger allegedly admitted that he did not have one.

Gupta then asked Dhivar to pay a Rs 500 fine. However, Dhivar reportedly had only Rs 100 with him. Gupta subsequently instructed him to accompany him to the Railway Protection Force (RPF) office for further prosecution.

According to the FIR, Gupta placed his hand on Dhivar’s shoulder to escort him to the RPF office. Enraged, Dhivar pushed Gupta away before punching him in the face.

The blow shattered Gupta’s spectacles and left him bleeding, with injuries reported around his eyes, face and eyebrows.

Dhivar allegedly attempted to flee after the assault, but Gupta chased him and managed to catch him. He was subsequently handed over to GRP and RPF personnel at Jogeshwari station and taken to the RPF office.

Meanwhile, the injured ticket checker was rushed to Trauma Care Hospital, where doctors administered seven stitches under his eye.

Police said Dhivar works at a bank and resides in Santacruz. He was issued a notice in connection with the case and later released.