RailEnquiry

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has directed the Railways to pay Rs four lakh as compensation to a youth who had been pushed from a running train by a Travelling Ticket Examiner (TTE) in August 2009, according to a communication from the NHRC.

The youth, Benudhar Bhoi of Odisha's Sambalpur district, lost his right leg and had to stay in hospital for over three months.       

Holding the incident as a violation of Human Rights, the Commission held the TTE responsible for ruining the future of the 25-year-old youth and ordered the Railways to pay the compensation to him within six weeks, according to the communication received by lawyer Prabir Das RPT Prabir Das who had moved the NHRC on behalf of the victim.

The Commission has also sought a compliance report from Chairman of Railway Board with a proof that the amount is duly paid to the victim within the stipulated period.        

Benudhar was travelling in Santragachhi-Puri Passenger train from Balasore to Cuttack when the TTE pushed him from the running train for travelling without ticket. Doctors at SCB Medical College and Hospital here had to amputate his leg in order to save his life.        

The Railways had refused to pay any damages to the victim saying he was travelling without ticket and ticketless passengers are not entitled to any compensation.

A departmental enquiry had given clean chit to the TTE saying the ticketless traveller was asked to alight from the train at the next station but he (Benudhar) tried to get down from the running train and sustained injuries. However, a GRP enquiry had prima facie found that the TTE had actually pushed Benudhar from the running train and accordingly a charge sheet was filed.         

Basing on the GRP enquiry, the NHRC observed that the incident was a violation of human rights of an individual by a government servant and according to the provisions of the Protection of Human Rights Act-1993 the victim is entitled to compensation.