Family members of 30-yr-old get over Rs 10 lakh compensation

Family members of a 30-year-old man, who died after being hit by a rashly-driven tractor, have been awarded compensation of over Rs 10 lakh by a Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (MACT) here.
The tribunal directed Oriental Insurance Co, insurance of the offending vehicle, to pay Rs 10,26,755 to the family members of Prakash Jha, a resident of Muzaffarpur in Bihar, who died in 2009.
While deciding the petition in the victim's favour, the tribunal relied on testimony of his wife and an eyewitness, besides other documents on record.
"Nothing is shown on record if the deceased was himself negligent or that the said accident occurred due to fault of deceased and it is rather shown and proved on record that at the relevant time, Respondent 1 (driver) was driving the offending vehicle in a rash and/or negligent manner and caused the said accident wherein the deceased lost his life," MACT Judge Barkha Gupta said.

According to the petition filed by Jha's family members, about 8:45 PM on November 20, 2009, the rashly and negligently driven tractor hit him in New Delhi area while he was pillion riding a motorcycle.
Due to the impact, Jha fell down and sustained grievous injuries. He was taken to a hospital where he later succumbed to the injuries on December 1, 2009.
The petitioners had claimed a compensation of Rs 27 lakh, claiming that the Jha was working as a salesman in a private company and used to earn Rs 10,500 per month.
In their written statements, the driver had denied the rash and negligent aspect and also termed the contents of the petition as false.