Court asks Railways to pay Rs 4.5 lakh to woman whose bag was snatched in train

coastaldigest.com news network
September 18, 2018

Bengaluru, Sept 18: A consumer court in the city has directed the South Western Railway (SWR) to pay over Rs 4.47 lakh to a woman passenger who accused the utility of failing to protect her belongings from thieves.

The incident occurred on the evening of February 21, 2014 when Ramila Devi, 50, from Mysuru, along with her husband, daughter and mother-in-law boarded the S10 compartment of Garib Nawaz Express at Bengaluru City railway station. The family was headed to a relative’s wedding in Rajasthan and planned to disembark at Falna station.

Devi was drinking water as the train started moving. Suddenly, a man seated on the top berth, jumped down and fled with her handbag containing 488gms of gold and cash worth Rs 90,000 placed next to her. She and her daughter chased the man but he managed to flee after jumping out of the train.

Meanwhile, Devi’s husband Shantilal pulled the emergency chain, bringing the train to a halt. They alerted the Train Ticket Examiner (TTE) who allegedly told them they could lodge a complaint with the Government Railway Police (GRP) within 30 days of the crime and advised them to continue the journey as the delay was putting other passengers to hardship.

Shantilal called his son in Mysuru, who soon approached GRP at Bengaluru City railway station. As cops refused to register a case, Devi cut the train journey short in Mumbai, flew down to Bengaluru and attempted to get GRP to register the case. Police registered an FIR after six days and claimed to have started a probe.

With the Mysuru-based family made to run around for nine months but no progress being seen in the case, a dejected Devi approached the Bangalore IVth Additional District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum on November 27, 2014 with a complaint against the general manager, SWR and the divisional railway manager, SWR, Bengaluru.

She blamed the railway authorities for failing to protect her belongings and allowing intruders inside a reserved compartment which resulted in the theft. She demanded over Rs 18 lakh as compensation.

Railways’ version dismissed

Meanwhile, the railways claimed the emergency chain was pulled to accommodate a relative of Devi who had reached the station late and was running to catch the train. They said no such theft had occurred , adding that the on-duty TTE and guard had responded to the claim on the day.

The litigation lasted for three years and 10 months, at the end of which the judges dismissed the railways’ version of the relative running to catch the train as ‘imaginary’ and baseless. They also criticised Devi for being careless with her bag.

In its verdict on September 4, the forum held the railways responsible for not putting in place adequate security measures in a reserved compartment and GRP for not making progress in the investigation. Finally, the court ruled that the SWR GM and Bengaluru’s divisional railway manager should pay Rs 4,42,100 to Devi, a portion of the loss suffered, and Rs 5,000 towards court expenses within six weeks of receiving the order.

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News Network
May 1,2024

Hassan MP and Lok Sabha election candidate of the BJP-JD(S) alliance Prajwal Revanna, who is facing an inquiry over the alleged sexual abuse of several women, said the truth will prevail.

The MP, who left the country as soon as the election to his constituency ended, has also sought seven days' time to appear before the Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed by the Karnataka government to inquire into the huge cache of about 3,000 explicit videos and photos allegedly pertaining to him, which have gone viral on social media.

“As I am not in Bangalore to attend the enquiry, I have communicated to CID Bangalore through my advocate. Truth will prevail soon,” Prajwal, grandson of former prime minister and JD(S) patriarch H D Deve Gowda, said in a post on X.

A case has been registered against MLA and former minister H D Revanna and his son Prajwal at Holenarasipura on a complaint lodged by their former cook and relative for allegedly sexually harassing her.

She also alleged that Prajwal made video calls to her daughter and spoke in an objectionable manner, which forced her to block him.

The MP who is seeking re-election from Hassan on a JD(S) ticket, shared a letter by his lawyer Arun G to the Deputy Superintendent of Police of the SIT, in which he has sought seven days' time to appear before the official because he is abroad.

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News Network
May 3,2024

Bengaluru: In a shocking revelation, a former member of Hassan Zilla Panchayat (ZP) has accused incumbent JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna of raping her multiple times over three years and videographing the alleged crime.

A case was registered by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) based on the statement by the 44-year-old survivor on Wednesday, May 1.

According to the First Information Report (FIR), the woman claimed that when she was a ZP member she used to visit the MLAs and MPs for various development works.

In one such instance in 2021, she met Prajwal seeking his help to get hostel seats for some female students at a local college. The woman, in her statement, said that since the MP was busy, she was asked to meet him the next day.

“The following day I visited the MP at his office and the MP's quarters in Hassan. The staff present there told me to wait on the first floor as there were many others in the hall. Prajwal spoke to some of the women waiting there, spoke with them and sent them off until I was the only one left,” the woman alleged.

As per the survivor, the MP then called her inside a room and she obliged.

“He held my hand, pulled me inside and locked the door. When I asked him why was he closing the door, he told me nothing would happen and made me sit on the bed. He said my husband should talk less and warned me of the consequences. He also said that because of my husband, his mother, Bhavani Revanna, missed the MLA ticket. He told me that if my husband wants to grow politically, I should listen to him [Prajwal],” the woman alleged.

Next, Prajwal allegedly told the woman to lie down on the bed and undress. When the woman refused and said that she would shout, Prajwal allegedly threatened her that he had a gun and warned of dire consequences for her and her husband.

The woman alleged that Prajwal took out his mobile phone and then raped her.

“He raped me and sexually assaulted me and recorded the act on his mobile phone,” the woman alleged. “He threatened to leak the video if I ever spoke about it and told me to be there whenever he wanted. After that, he used to video call me frequently, ask me to be naked during the call and raped me in multiple instances.”

The woman claimed that she was scared and did not make the incident public and chose to come forward after she learnt of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) set up by the Karnataka government to probe the alleged Hassan sex scandal.

A case was registered under Sections 376(2)(n) (commits rape repeatedly on the same woman), 506 (criminal intimidation), 354A(1)(physical contact and advances involving unwelcome and explicit sexual overtures), 354B (assault or use of criminal force to woman with intent to disrobe) and 354C (voyeurism) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and 66E (violation of privacy) of the Information Technology (IT) Act.

Prajwal is also accused in a sexual harassment case along with his father, Holenarasipur MLA HD Revanna, registered at the Holenarasipur police station in Hassan on April 28. 

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News Network
May 4,2024

somasundar.jpg

Mangaluru, May 4: A tragic incident unfurled last evening in Subrahmanya of Kadaba taluk in Dakshina Kananda, where a young gentleman, who had recently entered the bonds of matrimony a mere ten days hence, met his untimely demise due to a lightning strike.

As twilight descended, a tempestuous thunderstorm, accompanied by billowing rain clouds, cast its shadow over the locale.

Somasundar was diligently engaged in the task of piling up dried nuts in the yard to shield them from the impending deluge, when fate cruelly intervened, subjecting him to the fatal force of a lightning bolt.

Despite the expeditious efforts to convey him to Kadaba Community Hospital subsequent to his sudden indisposition, he tragically succumbed to his injuries. 

Somasundar, who operated a car washing enterprise in proximity to Subrahmanya, is mourned by his mother, sister, and wife.

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