Title - S Railways directed to pay Rs 4L compensation

Kochi: The Southern Railways has been directed to pay a compensation of Rs 4 lakh within two months to the kin of a 23-year-old woman, who was pushed out of a moving train, raped and killed in February last year.

The Railway Claims Tribunal bench, comprising judicial member A B S Naidu and technical member Baba Ranjan Ray, issued the direction yesterday while considering an application filed by mother of the deceased Soumya for compensation.

The amount should be paid with a six per cent interest from the date of filing of application, the bench held.

Fifty per cent of the compensation amount should be deposited in fixed deposit for a five year period and the petitioner can draw the interest amount, the tribunal said.

The petitioner submitted that under section 120 (3) of the Railways Act, the Railways was liable for the death and injury to passengers owing to accidents and untoward incidents. While the victim was travelling with a valid ticket from Ernakulam to Shornur, the accused, Govindachamy was travelling ticket less.

The tribunal also turned down the Railways contention that Rs 3 lakh had been granted by the Railway Ministry as solatium to the victim's family and it should be deducted from the compensation amount.

Govindachamy, the lone accused in the case, was awarded death sentence by the Thrissur Fast Track court.

Soumya, who was travelling by the Ernakulam-Shornur passenger train on the night of February one, was pushed out of the train, raped and seriously injured. She later died in hospital on February 6.