Family members of a 33-year-old street vendor, who died in a road accident involving a rashly driven garbage truck, have been awarded a compensation of over Rs 20 lakh by a Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (MACT) here.
The tribunal directed National Insurance Company Ltd, insurer of the offending truck, to pay Rs 20,14,149 as compensation to the wife, five children and the father of Gopal Mahto, a Bihar native, who died in the accident in south Delhi in July 2013.
"After considering all the documents (FIR, mechanical inspection report of the offending vehicle, etc) filed by the petitioners as a whole it is clear that respondent 1 (driver) was driving the vehicle in a rash and negligent manner," MACT Presiding Officer Sanjeev Kumar Singh said.
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"The insurance company's liability is joint and several with other respondents. Accordingly, it is directed to deposit the award amount within a period of 30 days," the tribunal said.
According to the petition, on July 13, 2013, Gopal was pushing a hand-cart loaded with goods and when he reached opposite Qutab Road here, an MCD garbage truck, being driven recklessly, came from behind and hit him. Due to the impact, Gopal fell down and sustained fatal injuries.
Gopal's wife, five minor kids and his aged father had approached the tribunal seeking appropriate compensation for the untimely death of the victim, who was the sole bread earner for the family.
During the proceedings, written statements were filed by the driver and owner of the offending truck wherein they denied rashness and negligence on the part of the driver and termed the contents in the petition as false.
