Family of Kalyan woman killed in train robbery in 2015 gets Rs 8 lakh

Thane, Jan 16 (PTI) The Mumbai Railway Claims Tribunal has awarded compensation of Rs 8 lakh to the kin of a 22-year-old woman who was run over by a train while chasing a thief.

Prajakta Gupte worked in an IT firm and was on her way back home in Kalyan in Thane district in a suburban train on July 30, 2015 when the incident took place.

A thief standing near the tracks grabbed her phone and purse, after which she jumped out and gave chase but was run over by a train coming from the opposite direction.

The court approved compensation of Rs 4 lakh but it was enhanced to Rs 8 lakh after a detailed presentation was made by her advocate Rihal Kazi on her family’s poor financial situation and her role as a breadwinner.

The details of the order were made available on Thursday this year.

While the railways submitted in court that she had risked her life by jumping on to the tracks, her advocate contended the incident was due to lack of regular patrolling along the tracks.