E-Paper
₹5-lakh relief for parents of boy killed in Kangra school bus accident
The school bus had fallen into a 250-metre-deep gorge due to rash and negligent driving by the driver, who was also killed, the parents had alleged.
The Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (MACT) has awarded a compensation of over Rs 5 lakh to a Kangra-based couple, who lost their nine-year-old son in an accident in April 2018.
Rekha Devi, 34, and Kewal Singh, 40, of Khowara village, Kangra district, Himachal Pradesh, had filed a complaint against the principal of Wazir Ram Singh Pathania Memorial Public School, Gurchal village, Kangra, and National Insurance Company Limited, Sector 17-C, Chandigarh.
In their petition, the parents stated that on April 9, 2018, their son, Gaurav Pathania, was returning home in his school bus.
“The bus was being driven at a fast speed and in a rash and negligent manner by driver Madan Lal. There were about 30 passengers in the bus. Lal lost control of the vehicle as he reached near Cheli Khuther village and it fell into a 250-metre-deep gorge,” the parents contended.
Their son died in the accident that also claimed the life of the driver.
Following the accident, a case under Sections 279 (rash driving), 337 (causing hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others) and 304-A (causing death by negligence) of the Indian Penal Code was registered at the Nurpur police station in Kangra district.
The school authorities responded that no such accident took place as alleged, so the claim petition was not maintainable and the amount claimed (Rs 75 lakh) was highly exaggerated.
The insurer stated that neither this court had the jurisdiction to try the petition nor had the cause of action accrued within the territorial jurisdiction of this court. Also, the driver didn’t have a valid licence.
After hearing the arguments, the tribunal, on Wednesday, directed both respondents to pay a compensation of Rs 5.05 lakh, along with 7.5% interest per annum from the date of filing of the petition.
