Relatives of man killed by DTC bus get around Rs 18 lakh

Family members of a 45-year-old man, who died in a road accident after being hit by a rashly driven DTC bus, have been awarded a compensation of around Rs 18 lakh by a Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (MACT) here.
MACT Presiding Officer Manish Gupta asked United India Insurance Company Ltd, insurer of the offending bus, to pay Rs 17,70,056 to the family of Ghaziabad resident Prem Kumar Sharma, who died in the accident in January 2012.
"It is proved on record that on the relevant date, place and time the offending bus which was being driven by respondent no.1 (driver) in rash and negligent manner hit the bicycle of Prem Kumar Sharma and caused his death," the court said, while asking the insurance firm to pay the money.

According the family's petition, on January 6, 2012, Sharma was coming home on his bicycle when the bus hit him in Sahibabad area in Ghaziabad.
Due to the impact, he fell down on the road and received grievous injuries. He was admitted in a hospital where doctors declared him brought dead.
His family members had claimed in the petition that Sharma was working in a private company and was earning Rs 10,000 per month.
They had claimed Rs 30 lakh as compensation and interim award of Rs 50,000.
The driver, however, had denied the petitioners' claim and said that the accident took place due to Sharma's negligence as he had suddenly come in the middle of the road without showing any indication even though he had blown horn.