The Kanpur Police on Wednesday arrested a woman for posing as the sister of a man killed in the derailment of the Patna-Indore Express on November 20. The woman pretended to be the victim’s relative to be able to claim the Rs 3.5-lakh compensation announced for the kin of those killed in the accident, PTI reported.
The accused had approached authorities at a morgue and identified a body as that of her brother. Doctors then conducted the autopsy and began preparations to hand the body over. However, they grew suspicious after she repeatedly asked them when the compensation amount would be disbursed.
The police then questioned the woman, who was unable to provide an identity card and kept giving different addresses. She was arrested after another man identified the same body as his son’s. She later confessed to being a resident of Varanasi and having tried to claim the compensation. The officers said they suspected that there were others involved in the racket.
At least 146 people were killed and more than 200 injured in the train mishap. Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu had said on Monday that a forensic inquiry would be conducted to look into all possible angles for the cause of the derailment. Minister of State for Railways Manoj Sinha had said the accident could have been caused by a fracture in the railway tracks. Divisional Railway Manager for the Jhansi Division SK Agarwal, however, had ruled out the possibility of any foul play.
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