MACT awards compensation of Rs44 lakh to victim’s family

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 19

The Motor Accidents Claim Tribunal (MACT) has awarded a compensation of Rs 44.42 lakh to the family of a Punjab Police Home Guards volunteer, who was killed after his bullock cart was hit by a car near Dhanas last year. Then 44, Manjit Singh was going towards Dhanas when he was hit near the marble market.

According to the application of the family, on November 27, 2017, around 1.30 pm, Sanjay of Mohali, who was driving his car at a high speed, hit the bullock cart from the rear side. Manjit fell down and sustained multiple injuries. He was taken to the PGI where he succumbed to his injuries later in the day.

The family had demanded a compensation of Rs 50 lakh. The application was moved by Baljinder Kaur, widow of the victim, Devinder Singh and Gurpreet Singh, both sons of the victim, and Gurmail Singh, father of the victim. It was stated in the application that Manjit was working as a Home Guards volunteer and was drawing a salary of Rs 32,000 per month. Apart from that, he was earning Rs 10,000 from dairy farming.

In his defence, the accused driver stated that he was not driving rashly and was not negligent in any way. He said the victim suffered injuries on his own and that a false criminal case was registered against him. The tribunal granted a relief of Rs 44,42,662, to be paid by Oriental Insurance Company Limited and car driver Sanjay.

Was on a bullock cart

A Punjab Police Home Guards volunteer, Manjit Singh, was killed after his bullock cart was hit by a car being driven by Sanjay of Mohali on November 27 last year near Dhanas. Manjit’s kin argued that he was drawing a salary of Rs 32,000 a month. Besides, he was earning Rs 10,000 from dairy farming.