Judicial Analysis Court Copy Headnote Facts Arguments Court observation

2025 Supreme(Online)(RCT) 1280

RAILWAY CLAIM TRIBUNAL - MUMBAI
Alok Upasani, Judicial Member, Niva Singh, Technical Member
Indu Shivkant Mishra – Appellant
Versus
Union Of India – Respondent
OA (II U) / MCC / 357 / 2018

Advocates:
For the Appellants/Petitioners: N R Shukla
For the Respondents: C A Shukla

The accidental fall of a passenger while boarding or alighting from a train constitutes an 'untoward incident' under the Railways Act, 1989, invoking strict liability against the railway administration, regardless of passenger negligence, and a lost ticket does not invalidate a claim if the applicant’s testimony is credible.

Headnote:(A) Railways Act, 1989 - Sections 123(c)(2), 124-A - Untoward incident - Accidental fall from train - Applicant sustained injuries while boarding a moving train - Whether applicant is a bonafide passenger - Burden of proof when ticket is lost - Held, accidental fall during the course of travel constitutes an 'untoward incident' under Section 123(c)(2); Railway administration is liable on principle of strict/no-fault liability unless exceptions under Section 124-A are proven. (Paras 10, 14, 16)

(B) Evidence - Burden of proof - Railway claim cases - Absence of ticket - Where ticket is lost in the incident, claimant can discharge the initial burden of being a 'bonafide passenger' by filing an affidavit stating relevant facts; burden then shifts to railway administration to rebut the presumption. (Para 17)

Facts of the case:
The applicant sought compensation for injuries sustained on 25.08.2017 while attempting to board a train at Kopar Railway Station. It was alleged that due to the rush of passengers, she fell from the train, resulting in pelvic fractures. The respondent denied the claim, contending that the applicant was not a bonafide passenger as no ticket was found, and that the incident resulted from her own negligence.

Findings of Court:
The Tribunal found that the applicant's account of the incident was credible. Citing the principle of 'no-fault liability,' the Tribunal held that the railway administration is liable to pay compensation regardless of the allegation of passenger negligence, given that the incident did not fall under the specific exceptions prescribed by the Act.

Issues: 1. Whether the applicant was a bonafide passenger with a valid ticket. 2. Whether the event constituted an 'untoward incident' under the Railways Act, 1989.

Ratio Decidendi: Following the precedent set by the Apex Court, the Tribunal ruled that the absence of a ticket does not inherently disprove a claim if the claimant testifies to its loss during the incident. Further, boarding or de-boarding a train that results in an accidental fall qualifies as an 'untoward incident,' and the provision is to be given a liberal interpretation to serve the purpose of the beneficial legislation.

Result: Claim allowed; awarded Rs. 80,000/- plus 9% interest.

Table of Content
1. factual background of the untoward incident and the claim application. (Para 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8)
2. arguments presented by both parties and the relevant legal framework under the railways act. (Para 9 , 10)
3. court's reasoning on strict liability, definition of untoward incident, and status of bonafide passenger. (Para 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18)
4. determination of compensation amount and issuance of final order. (Para 19)

JUDGEMENT

1. The Claim Application has been filed by the Applicant, Indu Shivkant Mishra, for compensation under Section 16 of the Railway Claims Tribunal Act, 1987 read with Section 123 (c) (2) & Section 124-A of the Railways Act, 1989, for injuries sustained by her in an alleged untoward incident, occurred on 25.08.2017.

The factual matrix of the matter in nut-shell is as below:

2. It is stated that Indu Shivkant Mishra (hereafter referred as injured), resident of Kalyan, was doing service. It is alleged that on 25.08.2017, she was travelling from Kopar to Vasai Road Railway Station. At around 11:45 hours, when the said train was at Kopar Railway Station, due to rush and push of the other passengers, she accidentally fell down from the train and sustained injuries. She was taken to Cardio Hospital, Vasai, for medical treatment and later was shifted to Nair Hospital, Mumbai Central, for further treatment. It is further stated that the injured was travelling as a bonafide passenger, on the strength of a valid Second Class Railway Ticket, from Kopar to Vasai Road, however, the same was lost in the incident. Hence, it is alleged that the Applicant was involved in an untoward incident leading to his injuries.

3. In response to notice, Respondent – Railway Authority appeared and opposed the claim application. The Respondent has filed Written Statement and also produced on record the DRM’s report pertaining to investigation conducted by IPF/Diva, accompanied with other relevant police papers marked as “R-1”. It has been contended in the DRM’s Report that:

“िदनांक 25.08.2017 को समय करीबन 11:45 बजे के आसपास एक मिहला यह अर कोपर ेशन पर चलती लोकल टेन (मेमो) को पकड़ने का यास करते समय ेटफ़ॉम पर िगरकर जी ई थी। दौरान अ याियो ारा उ जी मिहला को उसी टेन म िबठाकर उपचार हेतु कािडयो अताल वसई ले जाया गया। वहा पर उपरो जी मिहला पर ाथिमक उपचार िकया। बाद जी मिहला को उसके रेदार अपनी यं की िजेदारी पर डॉर ारा अनुमित लेकर ाइवेट नायर अताल मुंबई सटल मे लेकर गए। उपरो दुघटना को जीआरपी डोिंबवली ारा जी नं-88/2017 िदनांक-25.08.2017 को समय 09:09 बजे पंजीकृ त िकया।

लोहमाग िनयंण क वाडीबंदर सेजीआरपी डोिंबवली को फोन ारा सूचना ा ई की िदनांक-25.08.2017 को समय 11:45 बजे अर कोपर रेेेशन पर लोकल (मेमो) टेन म चढ़ते समय एक मिहला यह नीचे िगरकर जी ई है तथा उसे घटनाथल से अ याियो ारा उपचार हेतु कािडयो अताल वसई मे भत िकया गया है। अगली उिचत कायवाही करे। उपरो सुचना ा पर जीआरपी / डोिंबवली के ASI गोामी ने मिहला हवा. 626 ए.एस. गाइकवाड़ को उपरो घटना के बारे मे सूिचत िकया। बाद मिहला हवा.626 ए.एस. गाइकवाड़ ने नायर अताल मुंबई सटल मे जाकर अपघात विभाग के वाड नं-28 मे रेल अपघात मे जी ई मिहला नामे-इंदु िशवकांत िमा से घटना के बारे म पूछताछ कर उसका बयान दज िकया गया िजसमे उसने बताया की मुझे गणपती दशन हेतु मेरी बड़ी बहन नामे-सुधा मोद पांडे उ-28 वष जो की नालासोपरा मे रहती है उसके पास जाना था इसिलए मअर कोपर ेशन से समय 11:45 बजे की लोकल टेन पकड़ने का यास करते समय उ लोकल टेन चालु हो गयी थी। उस दरान मने चालु टेन को पकड़ने के यास मे मेरे शरीर का संतुलन खो जाने के कारण म नीचे िगरकर जी ई। बाद अ याियो ारा मुझे घटनाथल से उपचार हेतु कािडयो अताल वसई मे भत िकया गया। उ घटना के संबंध म जीआरपी डोिंबवली ारा बनाये गये जीआरपी रपोट तथा पीिड़त के बयान मजी मिहला के पास रेेयाा संबंधी िकसी कारा का कोई रे ल याा पास या ितकीट पाये जाने बाबत कोई उेख नहीं िकया।

परीण कर वैधािनक जांच की गयी तो यह काश म आया है की, अर कोपर ेशन पर जी मिहला ारा चलती ई टेन को पकड़ने का यास िकया गया था उस दौरान उसके खुद के शरीर का संतुलन खो जाने के कारण वह चलती टेन से नीचे िगरकर जी ई है। यिद उपरो जी मिहला ने चलती ई लोकल टेन को पकड़ने का यास ना िकया होता तो वह नीचे नहीं िगरती और ना ही यह दुघटना घिटत हो

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2025 Supreme(Online)(RCT) 1280

RAILWAY CLAIM TRIBUNAL - MUMBAIAlok Upasani, Judicial Member, Niva Singh, Technical MemberIndu Shivkant Mishra – AppellantVersusUnion Of India – RespondentOA (II U) / MCC / 357 / 2018

Cases Referred (2)

RAILWAY CLAIM TRIBUNAL - MUMBAI
Alok Upasani, Judicial Member, Niva Singh, Technical Member
Indu Shivkant Mishra – Appellant
Versus
Union Of India – Respondent
OA (II U) / MCC / 357 / 2018