Surendra was in Kashi Vishwanath
On April 27, 2005, textile merchant Surendra Bhola was going to New Delhi on the reserved seat of the Kashi Vishwanath Express. He was about to buy clothes worth Rs 1 lakh in Delhi. He had tied money around his waist. When he woke up at 3.30 am on April 28, he found that there was a cut on the right side of his trouser. Rs 1 lakh was stolen from his waist belt. After getting down at Delhi station on April 28, he lodged an FIR with the GRP.
After a few days, he lodged a complaint with the District Consumer Forum, Shahjahanpur. He demanded that the Railways be directed to compensate Rs 400 for the loss of his trousers and the stolen money along with 18 per cent interest. He had claimed that the theft took place due to the negligence of the Railways.
Later, the Railways replied that it was only responsible for the things that are booked and not the luggage of the passengers. The Railways told the District Forum that notices are put up at every station to alert passengers to take care of their belongings themselves. It had said that the security of the passenger and his luggage comes under the GRP and the state governments.
The District Forum in 2006 ordered the Railways to pay Rs 1 lakh to Bhola. However, the forum rejected the claim for compensation of interest and torn trousers. The UP State Consumer Forum rejected the railway’s appeal in 2014. In 2015, the National Consumer Forum also rejected the appeal of the Railways.