A 20-year-old man was dragged to his death by a New York City subway train after his clothing or backpack apparently got stuck in the doors, authorities said.

The man was killed by a southbound 1 train just before 5 p.m. Monday at the Columbus Circle station, a busy transfer hub at the southwest corner of Central Park, trainsit officials said. His name was not immediately released.

“While the investigation is in its earliest stages, it appears this was a terrible accident that did not involve criminal activity," Richard Davey, the president of New York City Transit, said in a statement. “A person on the tracks was hit by a train and our thoughts are with his family, the train operator and riders who witnessed this tragedy.”

Subway riders have been on edge in recent days following a series of violent attacks that prompted New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul to announce new measures to fight crime on board subway trains and inside stations.