Pune: A Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (MACT) in Pune has granted compensation of Rs 19.24 lakh to the parents of a 22-year-old man, who died in a road accident in 2020. It held the driver of a car as solely responsible for the crash, as he was speeding and entered the wrong side of the lane.
The victim's parents sought compensation of Rs30 lakh. The tribunal held the driver and owner jointly and severally liable to pay compensation. The order was passed ex parte against the car owner, who failed to appear before the court.
The accident occurred on March 4, 2020, near Waghjai Temple on the Mulkhed–Maan-Hinjewadi Road. The deceased, Aakash Saykar, rode a motorcycle when it collided with a car. He succumbed to the injuries sustained in the accident. Aakash's parents claimed that their son was employed in a private firm and also ran a snacks corner after office working hours, earning Rs 20,000 per month.
In its judgment, the tribunal relied on police documents, including the FIR, spot panchanama, inquest panchanama, and the post-mortem report, which were produced by the claimants and not challenged by the respondents.
The tribunal noted that the car driver was chargesheeted by the police in connection with the accident for speeding and causing death by negligence. The spot panchanama showed that the road was 60 feet wide and divided into two equal halves for traffic moving in opposite directions. The tribunal observed that the motorcycle was on its correct side of the road, while the point of impact indicated that the car entered the wrong lane.
The panchanama further recorded that the motorcycle was dragged for about 25 feet, suggesting a forceful impact. Rejecting the defence claim that the motorcyclist was negligent and not wearing a helmet, the tribunal held that the absence of a helmet does not determine the cause of the accident. It concluded that the accident occurred due to the rash and negligent driving of the car driver.
The award of Rs 19.24 lakh carries interest at the rate of 7 percent per annum from the date of filing of the claim petition until realisation.
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Read MoreKanwardeep Singh, an MBA and a journalist by accident, writes on crime against women, health and wildlife for TOI. Digging deeper for informational writing and piquing interest of readers are his USP.
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