Oriental Insurance to pay Rs 27.51 lakh to victim’s family

The family members of a man, who died in a road accident involving a rashly-driven Blueline bus, have been awarded a compensation of 27.51 lakh by a Motor Accident Claims Tribunal here.

The tribunal directed the Oriental Insurance Company Ltd, with which the offending vehicle was insured, to pay the money to the wife and two minor sons of deceased Kulbir Singh.

“From the testimony of prosecution witness (policeman) and police report, it is proved that the accident took place due to rash and negligent driving of the Blueline bus by its driver which resulted in the death of Kulbir Singh,” MACT Presiding Officer Sanjiv Jain said.

The court directed the insurance firm to pay Rs 26.51 lakh to the victim’s family and Rs one lakh to the bus owner as he had earlier paid Rs one lakh to the petitioners on the directions of the Supreme Court.

Singh’s wife Urmila told the court that the accident had taken place in December 2008 when her husband was crushed to death by the bus at MB Road here in South Delhi.

She also said driver Vikram Singh Bhati, who was driving the bus in a rash and negligent manner, fled the spot after the incident.

The 32-year-old victim, who was working as a marketing executive and was earning Rs 18,200 per month, was taken to AIIMS where he was declared brought dead, she said.

Awarding the compensation, the tribunal said, “Petitioner Urmila at an early stage of her life lost her usband. The loss of love and affection which she would have got from her husband can not be quantified in terms of money.

“The love and affection lost by the sons of the deceased is not capable of any assessment, much less on any pecuniary scale.”