Madras HC rejects plea from murdered techie's parents seeking Rs 3 crore compensation

Chennai: The Madras High Court has rejected a plea from the parents of S Swathi (24), a techie, who was murdered at a platform in the Nungambakkam railway station here in 2016, seeking Rs 3 crore as compensation from the Southern Railway due to the "sheer negligence" on the part of the railway authorities.

Justice R Subramanian rejected the plea from K Santhanakrishnan and his wife A Ranganayagi, made in November 2016, on Thursday.

The writ petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution before the Court is not the right forum to order compensation, the judge said and advised the couple to approach the appropriate one having civil jurisdiction.

The slain woman's parents contended the murder of their young blossoming daughter occurred at a crowded place in day light. It would have been averted if the railway authorities, including the Railway Protection Force (RPF), who were duty bound to provide security to the passengers, had acted in a diligent manner.

The sheer negligence on their part, had emboldened the assailant(s) to murder their daughter. So, the Southern Railway is bound to pay the compensation, they further contended.

Swathi was murdered at the busy Nungambakkam railway station, sending shock waves across the state. The man accused of killing her later allegedly died of suicide in prison.