Bhopal Woman Gets Locked In Train Toilet For 30 Minutes; Railways Slapped With ₹40K For Ignoring Passenger’s Plea

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): A woman got locked inside a train toilet for nearly 30 minutes due to a technical fault.

Now, Indian Railways has been ordered to pay ₹40,000 as compensation for poor service.

The Bhopal District Consumer Commission gave this decision after her husband filed a complaint on Monday.

According to information, the incident took place on April 20, 2022, when Umesh Pandey, a resident of Ravidas Nagar in Bhopal, was traveling with his family from Kanyakumari to Bhopal on the Tirukkural Express in a third AC coach.

He said the seat was torn, the toilet was damaged, and his wife got stuck inside the toilet when the door jammed from inside. She didn’t have a mobile phone and couldn’t call for help. Fellow passengers finally helped her come out.

Pandey complained online to the Railways, but no action was taken. He later approached the consumer commission, submitting coach photos, a copy of the ticket, and the railway’s response as evidence.

During the hearing, the Railways argued that passengers are only entitled to travel and not to guaranteed services. They also claimed that toilet facilities are free and tried to dismiss the case.

They said a mechanic attempted repairs at Madurai station, but there wasn’t enough time to complete the work.

The commission rejected these arguments and said the passenger faced inconvenience due to poor service.

It ruled that the Railways must pay ₹40,000 to the complainant as compensation.