E-Paper
Kin of Shimla man killed in mishap get ₹9-lakh compensation
The tribunal’s order came on the petition of the deceased’s widow, Asha Devi, 52, and son Adarsh Mehta, 24, against car driver Kushal Singh of Khamadi village, Shimla; car owner Ashish Mehta and insurer The Oriental Insurance Company Limited, Chandigarh.
Two years after a 55-year-old man died after the car that he was travelling in plunged into roadside fields in Shimla district in June 2021, the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal, Chandigarh, has awarded his widow and son a compensation of ₹9.13 lakh
The deceased, Ajit Singh, was a native of Karoli, Shimla.
The tribunal’s order came on the petition of his widow, Asha Devi, 52, and son Adarsh Mehta, 24, against car driver Kushal Singh of Khamadi village, Shimla; car owner Ashish Mehta and insurer The Oriental Insurance Company Limited, Chandigarh.
The petitioners submitted that Ajit was nambardar of his village, owned 30 bighas of land and was earning ₹50,000 per month by cultivating the land.
In June 2021, he was travelling in a car, being driven by Kushal Singh, while going from Nankhari to Khamadi in Shimla. As they reached Soidhar village, due to rash and negligent driving, Kushal lost control over the car and it plunged 100 metres into the roadside agriculture fields, killing Ajit.
In their response, the car driver and owner denied that the accident occurred due to negligent driving. They added that the driver was driving at slow speed and tried his best to avert the accident.
Seeking dismissal of the petition, the insurer claimed that the driver did not have a valid driving licence and travel documents on the date of the alleged occurrence.
However, holding all three respondents jointly and severally liable, the tribunal awarded the victim’s family a compensation of ₹9,13,180. Out of the total amount, ₹2 lakh will be given to the victim’s son and the remaining to his widow.
