The Mumbai Railway Claims Tribunal has granted Rs 8 lakh in compensation to the family of Prajakta Gupte, a 22-year-old IT professional who tragically lost her life in a train robbery incident in 2015. Gupte was commuting home to Kalyan in Thane district on a suburban train on July 30, when a thief snatched her phone and purse. In an attempt to retrieve her belongings, she chased the thief and was fatally run over by an oncoming train.
Initially, the tribunal approved a compensation of Rs 4 lakh. However, this amount was subsequently doubled to Rs 8 lakh following a compelling argument by her family’s advocate, Rihal Kazi. Kazi highlighted Gupte’s crucial financial contribution to her family and their dire economic circumstances, which influenced the tribunal’s decision to enhance the compensation.
The incident has raised concerns about safety on train platforms and along the tracks. While the railways argued that Gupte had endangered her own life by pursuing the thief onto the tracks, her advocate countered that the tragic event was a direct result of inadequate security measures, including a lack of regular patrolling in the area.
