Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala State Human Right Commission has ordered the railways to pay Rs 2 lakh as compensation to K Jayasmitha, a native of Erumapetty in Thrissur who resides in Thiruvananthapuram, after she was forced off a train at midnight despite holding a valid reservation. RPF had later arrested her for allegedly travelling without a ticket. She was released on bail, and the railways later withdrew the case after finding it had been registered wrongly.In the order, commission chairperson Justice Alexander Thomas directed that the compensation be paid within one month and that it be informed in writing once payment is made. If the amount is not paid within six weeks, the railways must pay 8% interest.Thomas said that removing a woman travelling alone at midnight was wrongful under Section 139 of Railways Act. The commission found violations of Sections 137 and 139, holding that the treatment of the complainant, who lives alone without parents, was unfair and violated her constitutional and human right to live with dignity.The order also permits an inquiry against the officials responsible and allows the Southern Railway divisional railway manager to recover the compensation amount from them as per law. The commission further directed railway authorities to immediately issue a circular instructing officials to strictly comply with Sections 137 and 139 and to ensure the safety of women travelling alone at night.The incident occurred on July 30, 2023, on train 16348 from Wadakkanchery to Thiruvananthapuram. Though allotted berth 41 in S4, she found it assigned to another passenger. The TTE told her the ticket had been cancelled online and demanded Rs 500 as a fine for another berth, which she could not pay in cash. At Aluva, she was handed over to RPF.A departmental inquiry found that one digit in the mobile number entered during booking had changed on the site, causing the reservation message to go to another number, and the recipient cancelled the ticket. Jayasmitha maintained the error was by the booking clerk. She said she lost her govt contract job due to the criminal case. The commission asked her to apply to govt against this and directed minority welfare director to decide within one month.
