Bombay HC Orders ₹8.14 Lakh Compensation To Parents Of Man Who Fell From Local Train In 2015

On September 28, 2026, the Bombay High Court ruled that the Indian Railways must pay Rs 8.14 lakh in compensation to the parents of Rahul Waman Suryawanshi, a 26-year-old man who tragically died in 2015 after falling from a local train. Justice Aarti Sathe made the decision when she directed the Railways to fulfill the claim made by Suryawanshi's parents. The court's ruling was based on evidence supporting the claim that Suryawanshi had fallen from a moving train.

Suryawanshi, who worked for the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation and was the sole provider for his family, boarded a local train from Ghansoli to Airoli on March 22, 2015. He was discovered injured near kilometre 43/4 between Ghansoli and Rabale railway stations. Attempts to save him at a municipal hospital in Vashi were unsuccessful, resulting in his death.

The Railways initially opposed the compensation claim, citing a report from a Divisional Railway Manager and a memo from a Station Master. These documents stated that an unknown individual had been struck by a train while trespassing on the tracks.

However, the Railway Claims Tribunal rejected the parents' claim in 2019, accepting the Railway's version. This decision prompted the parents to appeal to the High Court, which recently overturned the lower court's ruling. Justice Sathe pointed out that there was no eyewitness to confirm that Suryawanshi was crossing the tracks when he was hit.

She also reviewed the inquest panchnama, which recorded that Suryawanshi "fell down from unknown local train," and noted that a railway ticket was found on his body. The court concluded that the Divisional Railway Manager's report was only an opinion that the incident might have occurred while Suryawanshi was crossing the tracks, and it was not a conclusive piece of evidence.

The High Court determined that accidental falling from a passenger train is considered an "untoward incident" under Section 123(c)(2) of the Railways Act. The court criticized the Railway Claims Tribunal for adopting a narrow and incorrect interpretation of the law. The court set aside the Tribunal's order and ordered the Railways to pay Rs 8,14,641 to Suryawanshi's parents, to be deposited in their bank accounts within eight weeks. The court also imposed additional interest at 9% per annum for any delays in payment.