MACT awards Rs 74 lakh relief to Army man’s kin

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 20

The Motor Accidents Claims Tribunal (MACT) has awarded a compensation of Rs 74 lakh to the family of an Army man.

Then 29, Shashi Kumar, the victim, was a resident of Karyali village in Hamirpur district of Himachal Pradesh. A sepoy in the Army, he was posted with 13 Dogra Regiment.

In their application, the victim’s wife Pooja Kumari and mother Veena Devi claimed a compensation of Rs 1.50 crore. 

On June 10, 2017, at about 2.15 pm, Shashi Kumar was going in a car from Mcleodganj to Kotwali Kroh via Dharamsala bypass road. Rajesh Kumar, Sunil Kumar and Sourav Rangra were also travelling in the car, which was being driven by Ritesh Bhardwaj. The car driver lost control of the speeding vehicle, following which it fell into a deep gorge. They all received injuries and were taken to Zonal Hospital, Mandi. However, Shashi Kumar, Rajesh Kumar and Ritesh Bhardwaj succumbed to their injuries.

An FIR was registered on the complaint of Sunil Kumar at Dharamsala, Kangra, under Sections 279, 337 and 304-A of the IPC against Ritesh Bhardwaj (now dead) and a notice was given to Baldev Kumar Bhardwaj, the owner of the car who belonged to Bilaspur district, and New India Assurance Company Limited.

In his reply, the car owner denied that the accident took place due to rash and negligent driving. He claimed that a stray cow suddenly came before the vehicle and in a bid to save it, the car driver lost control of the vehicle.

The tribunal, however, observed that Ritesh Bhardwaj was responsible for the accident, which claimed three lives. “It stands proved on record that Ritesh Bhardwaj caused the accident while driving the car in a rash or negligent manner, resulting in the victim’s death,” it observed.

The court held that the owner and the insurance company would jointly and severally liable to pay a compensation of Rs 74.03 lakh to the claimants.