Fatal mishap: Rs 21 lakh relief for victim’s wife, children

Ramkrishan Upadhyay

Chandigarh, May 11

The Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (MACT), Chandigarh, has directed the driver and the owner of a car and an insurance company to pay a compensation of Rs 21,43,000 to the wife, two children and parents of a person who died in an accident three years ago.

The petition was filed under Section 166 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, by Devinder Kaur, wife of Darshan Singh, and other claimants, who are residents of Rajpura in Punjab. In the petition filed through counsel AP Singh, Devinder Kaur said her husband was just 36 when the fatal mishap took place. He was working as a dyer at a shop and earning Rs 15,000 per month.

She stated that on November 7, 2018, her husband, along with Ajaib Singh and Didar Singh, was standing on the pavement of a service lane of the Patiala bypass in Rajpura. Suddenly, a car came and hit Darshan Singh, Ajaib Singh and Didar Singh. The petitioner’s husband was dragged for about five-six metres. He suffered head injuries and was taken to the Civil Hospital, Rajpura, where he was declared brought dead.

Ajaib Singh and Didar Singh also suffered multiple fractures in the accident.

The claimants demanded Rs 70 lakh as compensation, along with interest, from the respondents-driver, owner of the car and the insurance company.

Since the driver and the owner of the car preferred not to appear and contest the petition, they were proceeded against ex parte.

On the other hand, the insurance company denied all charges and prayed for dismissal of the petition.

After hearing the arguments and examining the records, Rajeev K Beri, presiding officer, MACT, Chandigarh, said the claimants failed to prove the income of the deceased. In the absence of an income proof, the minimum wages of a labourer, Rs 8,000 per month, may be counted for calculating the compensation. The tribunal directed the respondents to pay Rs 21,43,000 as compensation to the claimants.