New Delhi: The Delhi high court upheld the grant of Rs 54. 44 lakh compensation to the widow of a Delhi Traffic police constable who was crushed to death by a truck on duty at a check point on National Highway 8 at Rajokri in South Delhi in 2015.

The deceased along with other traffic policemen were trying to intercept a truck but it did not stop, and when the deceased was about to return to the road side he was hit by the truck, the court said referring to the evidence by another constable who was on duty along with the victim.

The facts and circumstances where the driver of the truck in question did not enter the witness box, there being no explanation from his side as to why he could not stop in spite of noticing the traffic police on check duty, the negligence on his part is writ large,’’ the court said. SBI General Insurance had challenged the grant of the compensation by a Motor Accident Claims Tribunal, arguing that the deceased himself was negligent, as he had come in the path of the truck. It fu argued that the tribunal failed to deduct the benefit of ex gratia payment that was granted to the widow and also the benefit arising out of her being appointed in the Delhi police on compassionate grounds.