Supreme Court Directs Relief in Train Accident Cases
In a significant ruling for railway passengers, the Supreme Court of India has held that compensation claims for victims of train accidents cannot be rejected solely because a valid physical train ticket was not recovered from the deceased. The apex court set aside a previous order by the High Court that had denied financial assistance to the elderly parents of a young man who lost his life after falling from a moving train.
The bench comprising Justices Ujjal Bhuyan and A.S. Chandurkar heard the appeal regarding the unfortunate incident from 2017. The court emphasized that taking a hyper-technical view regarding the absence of a ticket, especially when a person suffered prolonged hospitalization and eventual death due to injuries, goes against the principles of justice.
Background of the Tragic Incident
The case dates back to September 2017 when the victim, Maheshbhai, was travelling towards Surat. Due to a sudden jolt in the general compartment, he accidentally slipped and fell off the running train, sustaining grievous injuries. He was rushed to a hospital where he fought for his life for over a month before succumbing to his injuries.
Following his demise, the grieving parents approached the Railway Claims Tribunal seeking compensation. In June 2022, the Tribunal acknowledged the incident as an untoward accident and awarded compensation of Rs 8 lakh along with interest, recognizing him as a bonafide passenger.
High Court Stance and Apex Court Intervention
However, the Gujarat High Court later reversed the Tribunal's decision, placing heavy emphasis on the fact that no train ticket was recovered from the victim's possession. Challenging this, the matter reached the Supreme Court.
The apex court strongly disagreed with the High Court's reasoning, noting that expecting family members to preserve a travel ticket while dealing with emergency medical treatment and hospitalization of a severely injured relative is completely unrealistic.
"Normally, when a victim is undergoing treatment, the likelihood of relatives preserving a train ticket is very low. Compensation cannot be denied on such technical grounds." — Supreme Court Bench
Broader Implications of the Judgment
This landmark judicial observation provides a strong shield for ordinary citizens and common passengers who often struggle against bureaucratic hurdles following transport mishaps. By prioritizing substantive justice over technicalities, the Supreme Court has reinforced the protective scope of welfare measures for train accident victims across the country.
