Train accident: SR ordered to pay Rs 4L to woman

KOCHI: The Railway Claims Tribunal, Ernakulam Bench, has ordered the general manager of Southern Railway to pay Rs 4 lakh to Kalluvila Veettil Prabha, a 45-year-old woman hailing from Pallichal in Thiruvananthapuram, as compensation.

Prabha, who was working as a cleaning staff, was hit by and run over by the last coach of a train that was shunting back to platform in June, 2015 at the Thiruvananthapuram Central railway station. Prabha lost both her legs and right hand in the accident.

The railway authorities had argued before the bench that the incident occurred due to the injured person’s ‘own negligence as any should have been careful about train movement while working on railway track’. They also cited that proper intermittent whistle was given by the traffic staff while backing of the empty coach of the train (no. 16347, Thiruvananthapuram-Mangaluru Express).

Later, the departmental committee that looked into the case, found that the whistle was not audible for cleaning staff in the background of loud recorded announcement.

Mukesh Kumar Gupta, vice chairman (judicial) of the Railway Claims Tribunal, Ernakulam Bench, while issuing the order, also noted that Prabha is entitled to interest at the rate of 6% per annum from the date of registration of petition, i.e. October 14, 2015, till the date of its payment.

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