Railways told to pay over Rs 1 lakh to Delhi woman whose luggage was stolen during travel

Jaya Kumari, a resident of New Delhi, realised that her bag containing a laptop, a wrist watch, jewellery and shawls was stolen while she was travelling on Malwa Express from New Delhi to Indore in a reserved coach in January 2016.

Observing that there was negligence and deficiency in services by the Indian Railway, a consumer commission here has directed its general manager concerned to pay more than Rs 1.08 lakh to a passenger whose luggage was stolen during a journey.

The complaint, which was being heard by the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (Central District), stated that in January 2016, while the passenger was travelling in a Malwa Express reserved coach between Jhansi and Gwalior, his bag containing valuables worth Rs 80,000 was stolen by some unauthorised passengers.

"It was the duty of the railways for safe, secure and comfortable journey as well as safety and security of belongings of passengers," the lawsuit stated.

The commission, comprising its president Inder Jeet Singh and member Rashmi Bansal, said it had the territorial jurisdiction to try the case as the complainant boarded the train from New Delhi and there was "a continuity of the journey" till its arrival in Indore. It also said in an order issued on June 3 that the opposing party's office—the General Manager of Indian Railway—was located inside the commission's jurisdiction.

The commission rejected the argument of the railways that the complainant was negligent about her belongings and that the luggage was not booked.

"There would not have been such an incidence if the other party or its employees had not been negligent or provided inadequate services. The complainant is deemed entitled to compensation of loss of Rs 80,000 as there is no further defence or evidence to refute the worth of the things she took on her trip," the panel stated.

It also awarded Rs 20,000 as damages for suffering inconvenience, harassment and mental agony besides Rs 8,000 towards litigation cost.