Mumbai: Eight years after losing three fingers, a toe and part of her foot in a brutal “fatka robbery” on a Mumbai local train, Kalyan resident Dravita Singh has been awarded ₹4.2 lakh in compensation by the Railway Claims Tribunal (RCT).
The tribunal directed the Central Railway to pay Singh the compensation along with 9% annual interest from the date of the incident until the date of the order.
While welcoming the ruling, Singh’s father, Hemant Kumar, expressed disappointment over the delay in the criminal case, noting that the trial before the sessions court has yet to begin despite the incident occurring in 2018.
The incident took place on February 7, 2018, when Singh, then 23, was travelling on a Mumbai suburban train between Sandhurst Road and Masjid stations. According to the case, a robber armed with a stick struck her while attempting to snatch her mobile phone, causing her to fall from the moving train.
As another train approached on the adjacent track, Singh attempted to roll away to safety. However, three fingers of her left hand, a toe and part of her right foot were crushed. She also suffered a head injury and underwent multiple surgeries and skin graft procedures before regaining the ability to walk.
Singh filed a compensation claim before the Railway Claims Tribunal in July 2018 through her lawyer, C.K. Sable. In her affidavit, she stated that she was a bona fide passenger holding a valid return ticket and detailed the sequence of events leading to her injuries.
The Railways opposed the claim, relying on a Divisional Railway Manager’s report that alleged Singh had been standing on the footboard while speaking on her mobile phone. Railway authorities also argued that no ticket was recovered from her and cited statements from the motorman and train manager claiming she had been struck by an oncoming train while running on the tracks, amounting to trespassing.
Rejecting these arguments, the tribunal held that Singh’s injuries resulted from an “untoward incident” under the Railway Act.
The RCT observed that Singh had fallen from the train and chased the robber in an attempt to recover her stolen phone. Even if she had crossed the railway tracks during that pursuit and was struck by an oncoming train, the circumstances could not be treated as trespassing. The tribunal also accepted her affidavit as sufficient evidence that she was a bona fide passenger.
Under the order, Singh has been permitted to withdraw ₹40,000 immediately, while the remaining compensation will be invested in an annuity deposit scheme with a nationalised bank.
Despite the life-altering injuries, Singh rebuilt her life with remarkable determination. Within a year of the incident, she completed the Mumbai Marathon and appeared for her graduation examinations while her leg was still in bandages. She now works with a housing finance company and is simultaneously pursuing an MBA.
Expressing frustration over the pace of the criminal proceedings, Singh’s father said the family had expected a fast-tracked trial.
“Eight years have passed and the trial has not even begun. The police have not been in touch with us regarding the status of the case,” he said.
The Government Railway Police had registered a case of attempted murder and robbery under the Indian Penal Code. Three people were booked in connection with the incident, including a 17-year-old juvenile accused of assaulting Singh, a man accused of helping sell the stolen mobile phone, and a woman who allegedly purchased the handset. One of the accused is currently out on bail, while the criminal trial is yet to commence.
