A consumer commission directed authorities to compensate a woman whose gold chain was snatched aboard a train. The commission held that the authorities were unable to prove the presence of either the train ticket examiner (TTE) or railway police on board the coach.
The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission - I, Hyderabad, was dealing with a complaint filed by M.G. Madhavi, a government employee, who was travelling from Secunderabad to Nellore aboard Special Express Train 07115 on July 27, 2019. The opposite parties were Guntur Railway Police and South Central Railway.
The complainant stated that her gold chain was snatched around 2.30 a.m. near Nadikudi Station. She alleged that neither the police nor the TTE came to “her rescue”. It was when she reached the station that the police and TTE suggested that a complaint be lodged with Guntur Railway Police. After an FIR was registered, but no headway was made, she stated.
For their part, the opposite parties cited Rule 506 of Indian Railway Coaching Tariff No 26 Part - I (Vol - I) and stated that all articles taken into carriage are carried at the risk of respective owners. The Railways’ liability arises only in case of booked luggage per Section 100 (3) of the Railways Act of 1989. The sub-inspector of police “examined” suspects and ex-convicts for their complicity, flashed messages to neighbouring police stations and alerted gold merchants and pawn brokers about the theft.
The Commission cited orders of the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) pertaining to the Railways’ responsibility to stop the entry of “unauthorised” people in reserved sleeper coaches, as well as a list of the TTE’s duties for sleeper coaches. There was no evidence of the TTE and police being aboard the coach and that there presence could have averted the theft, the Commission stated.
Given this, the opposite parties were directed to pay compensation of ₹1 lakh and costs of ₹10,000.
