Being knocked down at platform edge constitutes a compensable "untoward incident" under the Railways Act.

On January 29, 2012, Balkrishna Bhandari died in a railway accident while traveling from Kalyan to Dombivli

The deceased’s dependents filed a claim for compensation, which the Railway Claims Tribunal dismissed on April 30, 2019, ruling that the accident did not meet the statutory requirement of an "untoward incident"

Procedural history reveals conflicting official accounts: the Divisional Railway Manager’s (DRM) report and the RPF report alleged the deceased fell from a moving train due to his own negligence while standing near the door

Conversely, the Station Manager’s (SM) report and the GRP report suggested the deceased was struck by a train while standing on the edge of the platform

No eyewitnesses were present

The court interpreted the definition of "untoward incident" under the Railways Act, 1989

It applied the principle that in welfare legislation intended to grant compensation, the court should lean in favor of the victim when faced with contradictory government reports and an absence of eyewitnesses

The court further relied on the precedents of Prahalad & Ors. v. Union of India and Kala v. Union of India, which establish that a passenger meeting with an accident while standing near the edge of a platform is entitled to compensation

Additionally, the court observed that standing near the door of a Mumbai local train cannot be treated as negligence

The court observed that the various government reports were irreconcilably contradictory; the first report (SM Report) alleged the deceased was on the platform, while subsequent reports (DRM/RPF) claimed he fell from a moving train

The court noted that if the deceased were on the platform edge, eyewitnesses should have been available, yet none were produced

Consequently, the court resolved the ambiguity in favor of the claimants, determining that falling from a moving train constitutes an "untoward incident"

Furthermore, the court reasoned that even if the SM’s version were true (death by being struck on the platform edge), it would still qualify as an "untoward incident" under the Act

The court emphasized that the railway's failure to provide clear safety warnings or visible "danger zone" markings meant that such accidents cannot be blamed solely on passenger negligence

It held that the death was an "untoward incident" regardless of which contradictory government report was accepted

The respondent was directed to pay the appellants compensation of Rs. 4 lakhs plus 6% interest per annum from the date of the accident, subject to a maximum cap of Rs. 8 lakhs

The amount is to be remitted equally to both appellants within 12 weeks of their application