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The Mumbai Railway Claims Tribunal has granted a compensation of Rs 8 lakh to the family of a 22-year-old woman who tragically lost her life after being run over by a train while pursuing a thief.
The victim, Prajakta Gupte, an IT professional, was travelling in a suburban train on July 30, 2015, when the unfortunate incident occurred. On her way home to Kalyan in Thane district, a thief standing near the railway tracks snatched her mobile phone and purse. Determined to recover her belongings, Gupte jumped off the moving train and chased the culprit but was fatally struck by an oncoming train from the opposite direction.
Initially, the tribunal had approved a compensation of Rs 4 lakh. However, after a detailed submission by her advocate, Rihal Kazi, highlighting her family's dire financial situation and Gupte's role as the primary breadwinner, the compensation amount was doubled to â¹8 lakh.
The order was finalised earlier but its details were made available this Thursday, according to PTI reports. The court acknowledged the severe financial hardships faced by Gupte's family and their reliance on her income as pivotal factors in enhancing the compensation.
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During the proceedings, the railway authorities argued that Gupte had endangered her life by leaping from the moving train to chase the thief. However, her lawyer countered this claim, asserting that the incident was a direct consequence of inadequate patrolling along the railway tracks. Kazi emphasised that regular monitoring and preventive measures could have deterred such crimes and possibly averted the tragedy.
Gupte's death, which drew significant attention at the time, underscored the risks faced by suburban train commuters and the challenges in ensuring their safety. The tribunal's enhanced compensation, though a small solace, acknowledges the profound loss suffered by her family and the systemic gaps that led to her untimely demise.
(With inputs from PTI)
