Deceased govt employee's family gets Rs 32L compensation

New Delhi, May 30: Family members of a government employee, who died after being hit by a speeding dumper truck, have been awarded a compensation of over Rs 32 lakh by a Motor Accident Claims Tribunal here.

The tribunal directed Cholamandalam MS General Insurance Company Ltd, with which the offending vehicle was insured, to pay Rs 32,14,474 to the family members of 57-year-old Prem Pal Singh, who was working in Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) and had died in the accident in November 2011.

"I am directing the respondent no 3, insurance company to pay to the claimants (family) a sum of Rs 32,14,474 towards compensation within one month," MACT Presiding Officer Arvind Kumar said.

The tribunal also said it has been established that Singh had died of the injuries sustained due to the rash driving of the dumper's driver Turshan Pal.

"There is nothing on record to dispel the inference that deceased Prem Pal Singh died on account of injuries sustained by him in a road accident which occurred on November 20, 2011 because of rash and negligent driving of vehicle being driven by respondent no 1 (Turshan)," the tribunal said.

According to Singh's family, the accident took place on November 20, 2011 when he was walking towards Sector 15 in Noida and when he reached near sector 35, a speeding dumper truck hit him. Due to the impact, Singh died on the spot, they said.

The tribunal said the testimony of witness Rajesh Kumar, son-in-law of Singh, was relevant as he deposed that the victim had deboarded a bus and was coming towards him when the speeding dumper came from behind and hit Singh.

Rajesh said he had seen the accident when he was waiting for Singh and after the incident he had lodged the FIR.

Singh's family said he was working as a technician in NPCIL and was getting a monthly salary of Rs 52,958.

The truck driver and owner had denied the involvement of their vehicle in the accident.

PTI