Gross Negligence, No Security! Mumbai Consumer Forum Makes Central Railway Pay Price For Theft

An incident where some unauthorised persons entered the AC-II coach of a long-distance train and stole the 'mangalsutra' of a passenger has brought the safety and security of railways passengers under the spotlight. The south Mumbai consumer disputes redressal forum took cognisance of the matter and held Central Railway responsible for the 'gross negligence.'

The consumer forum directed the central railway to compensate the Nerul resident, Rajni Laxman Kumar, for her loss of jewellery worth over ₹70,000 at 9 per cent per year from May 2018. The statement on the forum's website reads, "The complainant had lost her mangalsutra, which is a 'respect' for every woman. Therefore, it is just and proper to direct the compensation."

Jewellery Stolen From The Train

In general cases, Government Railway Police (GRP) and the Travelling Ticket Examiner (TTE) are responsible for ensuring passengers' safety. An advocate, Sheetal Kanakia, who appeared from the side of the complainant, mentioned that the passenger was going to her hometown in May 2018 and booked an AC II-tier ticket for the same to complete her journey by Darbhanga Pawan Express.

Giving information about the incidents, she said that the passenger at 10 pm woke up to find her bag and found that it had been cut and her mangalsutra had been stolen, which she purchased in the same year. The victim has filed a complaint at the Muzaffarpur police station regarding the theft, but allegedly, no action was taken.

Passengers' Security & Safety A Concern

While talking with The Logical Indian, Advocate Sheetal Kanakia said, "We spend so much money to buy AC II-tier tickets, but still, there is no security. Unauthorized people come to the coach without being objected to by the TTE. This is a concerning situation, and we request the railway authorities to look into the matter."

The lawyer who appeared on behalf of the railways cited Section 100 of the Railways Act, which doesn't hold Railways accountable for any loss of luggage under the passenger's supervision. The forum held that the victim booked her ticket from the CR office at CSMT, and as the passenger is a consumer, it had the right to decide the complaint.

After years of consistent hard work and patience, the advocate and the victim finally settled with victory as the judiciary agreed that there was no security on the train. The consumer forum has awarded the cost of mangalsutra to the victim, ₹10,000 for legal expenses, and ₹15,000 for mental agony with a 9 per cent interest rate.

Also Read: Madhya Pradesh: Unemployed Youth Demands To Fill Vacancies, Detained Amid Protest In Bhopal