The passengers had claimed ₹59,725 for the belongings allegedly stolen from them. However, they failed to provide evidence before the commission establishing the actual value of the stolen items. As a result, the NCDRC did not approve the claimed amount and reached its decision after considering all the circumstances of the case.
The incident occurred when a passenger was travelling with his daughter on a train. During the journey, some robbers entered the reserved coach. According to the passengers, the robbers were carrying weapons and proceeded to loot passengers inside the coach.
The Railways gave its own explanation regarding the incident. It described the occurrence as an unfortunate incident and argued that the compensation claim should be heard by the Railway Claims Tribunal rather than the Consumer Commission.
The NCDRC, however, did not agree with the Railways' contention. The commission observed that the complaint concerned the robbery that took place inside the train and that adequate security arrangements had not been provided for passengers travelling in the reserved coach.
After considering the circumstances, the commission held that there was a deficiency in railway services and ordered the Railways to pay ₹20,000 as compensation to the passengers. The commission also directed that the amount carry interest at the rate of 6 percent.
The case relates to the Avadh-Assam Express, in which the passenger and his daughter were travelling when armed robbers allegedly entered the train and carried out the robbery. The incident took place in August 2004. The passengers alleged that there was no coach attendant or security guard present in the train at the time of the robbery.
The case also highlights the responsibilities associated with railway services for passengers travelling with confirmed tickets. These include ensuring that passengers receive the seats they have booked in reserved coaches and preventing passengers without appropriate tickets, including those holding general tickets, from entering reserved coaches.
The Railways is also expected to make appropriate arrangements for the safety of passengers and their belongings during the journey. Passenger facilities such as washrooms, water, cleanliness and lighting are also part of the services provided during train travel.
The NCDRC's order makes clear that failure in railway services can result in a compensation liability, particularly when the complaint concerns inadequate arrangements for passengers travelling in a reserved coach.
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