Dead cyclist’s family gets Rs 8.5 lakh as compensation

A Motor Accident Claim Tribunal (MACT) has awarded Rs8.5 lakh as compensation to the family of a 24-year-old cyclist, who was crushed to death by a speeding truck near Mukarba Chowk on the Delhi-Haryana border in 2008.

A Motor Accident Claim Tribunal (MACT) has awarded Rs8.5 lakh as compensation to the family of a 24-year-old cyclist, who was crushed to death by a speeding truck near Mukarba Chowk on the Delhi-Haryana border in 2008.

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The MACT judge awarded the compensation observing that “no court can calculate the sufferings due to death of the deceased and even crores of rupees will not able to fill the gap of his presence.”

Nand Lal was returning home on his cycle when he was hit by a rashly driven truck. He fell on the road and was crushed under the truck’s wheels. He died on the way to the hospital.

The court awarded the compensation, relying on an eyewitness’s testimony to conclude that the accident was caused due to the driver’s fault. The truck driver tried to flee but was apprehended by a home guard constable.

“The conduct of the truck driver and its owners in not coming forward to cross-examine the eyewitness or to lead their evidence itself is sufficient to draw a presumption that the accident was caused due to negligence of the truck driver,” the court said.