Mumbai Local News: Parents of youth died after falling from train to get compensation after 13 years

Cases of death after falling from Mumbai local trains are coming to light every day. In a similar case that was being heard by the Justice Prithviraj Chavan of Bombay High Court (HC) has given a huge sigh of relief to parents whose son died 13 years ago after succumbing to injures due to falling from crowded train.

The court has squashed railways' claims on April 21, 2014 that it was “not only perverse but also in total ignorance of the settled legal position". Moreover, the bench has directed the Union of India to pay INR 8 lakh as compensation to the parents.

Bombay High Court has asked the General Manager of Western Railway to deposit the compensation amount within six weeks, this amount will be given to the youth's father Arun Dhotre.

For those unversed, Arun Dhotre's son, a student named Alpesh Dhotre was travelling in Virar local train. As it is well-known fact that Virar locals are known for jam pack trains, the kid fell down from running train and died. His parents made an appeal to the railway authorities asking compensation for their valuable loss. The compensation claim was rejected by the railways. After they rejected the claim, Dhotre's parents went to the court. On Monday, August 28, Balasaheb Deshmukh, lawyer hired by Alpesh's parents argued that getting compensation is right of Alpesh Dhotre's parents.

In this case, the report submitted by the Divisional Managers is inconsistent with the investigation conducted by the Railway Protection Force (RPF) and Government Railway Police (GRP). Deshmukh appealed that the court should consider the documentary evidence in this case. The railway authorities had also alleged that it was complete negligent behaviour of Alpesh to stand on the footboard of the train, which eventually led to his accidental death. Deshmukh argued that there is no evidence of the allegations made by the railways.

After hearing the arguments of Deshmukh, the lawyer of railway authorities, Chintan Aggarwal, presented the case on behalf of railways, said that Alpesh did not had a local train ticket while he was onboard. He argued that Alpesh was not a valid local train passenger. Hence, when Alpesh's parents appealed the authorities to pay a compensation, their claim was rejected by the railways.

Meanwhile, Justice Chavan expressed a serious concern about the overcrowding in the local trains of Mumbai. He also bombarded the railway administration with the questions of safety of the passengers.