Kin of road accident victim get Rs 22.95 L compensation

Family members of a 27-year-old man, who died after his tempo collided with a truck standing in the middle of a road, have been awarded a compensation of Rs 22.95 lakh by a Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (MACT) here.
MACT Presiding Officer Rajeev Bansal directed IFCCO TOKIO General Insurance Company Ltd, the insurer of the truck, to pay the compensation to the wife, mother and three minor sons of victim Gajraj who was killed in the accident in 2015.
The tribunal decided the petition, filed by victim's family members, while relying on several documents on record including the FIR, charge sheet and the post-mortem report.

"The police after investigation has filed a charge sheet against respondent No.1 (driver) under section 279 (rash driving) and 304A (causing death by negligence) of the IPC which is suggestive of his negligence," the tribunal said.
According to the petition, on February 8, 2015, the victim was driving a tempo and going towards Ashram area of South Delhi when he collided with a truck, which was standing in middle of the road.
Due to the collision, Gajraj, who worked as a driver with a cargo company, sustained fatal injuries and was declared as brought dead by JPN Trauma Centre here, it said.

During the proceedings, the insurance company claimed that the accused truck driver did not have a valid driving licence. The driver himself did not appear before the tribunal in his defence.
The tribunal accepted the insurance company's contention and said the firm shall have a right to recover the compensation from the driver and owner of the offending vehicle, jointly and severally.