Family of accident victim gets Rs.10 lakh compensation

The court, in an order given May 20, held the driver of the road roller responsible for the accident guilty under the Motor Vehicles Act.

Presiding Officer of Motor Accident Claims Tribunal Ashwani Sarpal awarded Rs.872,536, apart from over Rs.1 lakh interest, to the family members of Manirul Islam, 25.

The court directed the insurance company to pay the awarded sum within a month along with an interest of 7.5 percent per annum from the date when the case was filed in August 2009. The interest would add up to over Rs.1 lakh.

"A driver behind the wheels of a mechanically propelled vehicle is under bounden duty to observe necessary caution for avoiding striking other vehicles…having struck the road roller on the petitioner, causing grievous injuries on his person, Tripuree Mishra was berserk and thus negligent," the court said.

Islam, who worked as a labourer for road repairs, was killed July 31, 2009, when the road roller was reversed in a negligent, hitting the deceased.

The impact was so strong that Islam fell down. He was taken to hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.

While filing the petition, Islam's wife sought Rs.20 lakh compensation.