Tribunal awards Rs 65Lakh relief to family of accident victim

New Delhi: The family members of a 27-year-old man, who was killed in a road accident on Yamuna Expressway in 2013, have been awarded a compensation of more than Rs 65 lakh by a Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (MACT).

MACT presiding officer S.S. Malhotra directed the Cholamandalam MS General Insurance Company Limited, the insurer of the offending vehicle, to pay Rs 65.22 lakh to Raj Kumar’s family.  

“It stands proved that the accident in question occurred due to rash driving and the respondents have failed to prove that there was any contributory negligence on the part of the deceased, who suffered fatal injuries in that accident and died,” the MACT said.

As per the complaint filed by Kumar’s father, the mishap took place in August 2013 when the victim was riding his mobike to Jewar in UP from Delhi.

It alleged that when Kumar reached Gautam Budh Nagar, a rashly driven, speeding truck hit the motorcycle resulting in his death.

The driver of the offending truck claimed that he was falsely framed in the case and was not driving in any negligent manner.

The truck driver also alleged that Kumar was the one who was driving in a negligent manner. The tribunal noted that the truck driver had not come up with any kind of evidence to prove his innocence.

While awarding the compensation, the tribunal observed that Kumar was a private firm employee and was drawing over Rs 21,000 as monthly salary. The tribunal also considered that Kumar was survived by his father, mother, wife and a one-year-old son.