MACT awards ₹22.26 lakh to mother of man killed in tanker crash

In a judgment delivered on October 26, 2026, MACT member SR Pawar partly allowed a claim filed by Sharada Hanumant Lonkar and her children following Sunil Hanumant Lonkar’s death on July 1, 2022

The Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (MACT), Pune, has awarded ₹22.26 lakh in compensation to the mother of a 28-year-old transport operator killed in a tanker collision on Belha-Jejuri Road, directing the insurer to pay the amount and recover it from the vehicle owner because the tanker lacked a valid permit.

The tribunal awarded compensation with 7% annual interest from the date the petition was filed until realisation. (REPRESENTATIVE PIC)

In a judgment delivered on October 26, 2026, MACT member SR Pawar partly allowed a claim filed by Sharada Hanumant Lonkar and her children following Sunil Hanumant Lonkar’s death on July 1, 2022.

The tribunal awarded compensation with 7% annual interest from the date the petition was filed until realisation.

According to the claim, Sunil was driving a goods-laden pick-up near Hotel Srimant Darbar in Pabal village, Shirur taluka, when a tanker owned by Roshan Dilip Kunjir and driven by Sayyad Jafar Shaikh hit his vehicle. Sunil was taken to rural hospital, Shikrapur, where he was declared dead.

The family sought ₹30 lakh, claiming he earned ₹25,000- ₹30,000 a month transporting vegetables.

The insurer disputed negligence, income and the tanker’s involvement, and cited alleged breaches of policy conditions, including the absence of a valid permit.

Relying on police records, including the FIR, spot panchnama and post-mortem report, the tribunal held that the evidence established the tanker’s involvement and the driver’s negligence. It noted that the owner and insurer had not examined the driver.

The tribunal assessed Sunil’s monthly income at ₹15,000, added 40% towards future prospects, applied a multiplier of 17 and deducted 50% for personal expenses. It calculated the loss of dependency at ₹21.42 lakh and added amounts for funeral expenses, loss of estate and consortium to arrive at ₹22.26 lakh.

The tribunal found that the tanker’s permit had expired in March 2019 and was renewed only from February 2023, leaving it without a valid permit on the accident date.

Citing a Supreme Court ruling in Amrit Paul and another versus TATA AIG General Insurance Company Ltd and others, it directed the insurance firm to pay the award and recover it from the owner without filing a separate suit.

Sharada alone was entitled to the compensation, as the financial dependence of Sunil’s siblings was not established. The claim was partly allowed with proportionate costs.

Advocate ND Washimbekar appeared for the applicants, advocate PP Jichkar for the vehicle owner and advocate RR Ganu for the insurer.