Delhi High Court: Railways Not Liable for Theft of Passenger’s Belongings Without Proof of Staff Negligence

The Delhi High Court ruled that the Railways are not responsible for theft of a passenger’s belongings unless there’s clear proof of staff negligence or misconduct.

A passenger claimed that his backpack containing valuable items was stolen during a 2013 train journey to Nagpur. He alleged that the train attendant was sleeping and rude, and the conductor was unavailable. He sought ₹84,000 for the loss and ₹1 lakh for mental harassment.

However, the Court found no clear evidence and noted that just because the staff were missing or behaved rudely doesn’t automatically mean the railways are responsible.

The Court upheld the NCDRC’s order and dismissed the compensation plea.