Dead cockroach in soup served on Shatabdi, Rly, IRCTC fined

Ramkrishan Upadhyay

Chandigarh, March 9

The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Chandigarh, has directed Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Limited (IRCTC) and Northern Railway to pay a compensation of Rs 10,000 to a city resident for causing mental agony and harassment by serving soup with dead cockroach. The commission also ordered payment of Rs 5,000 as cost of litigation to the complainant.

In a complaint filed before the commission, Rahil Mahajan said he and his mother were travelling from New Delhi to Chandigarh in Shatabdi on September 3 last year. They were served hot soup and bread on board by catering staff of the OPs (Railway and IRCTC). After taking some soup, he noticed a dead cockroach in the bowl and immediately called the catering staff and informed them about it.

Rahil also brought the fact to the notice of co-passengers. He clicked photographs of the cockroach in bowl and recorded his grievance in the IRCTC complaint booklet. He also informed the train incharge/TC. The complainant had tweeted about it on the official account of the Railway Ministry and was assured that action would be taken as per procedure.

The complainant stated that the bread served to him was expired as the package mentioned ‘best to use before September 2’.

The IRCTC denied the charges and claimed that the complainant had filed the false complaint.

After hearing the arguments, the commission observed that it was clear from the documentary evidence that the OPs had served unhygienic food to the complainant and his mother as a dead cockroach was found in the soup. The aforesaid act of OPs amounted to deficiency in service and unfair trade practice, the commission stated.