Tribunal awards Rs 44L to children of couple killed in UP road accident

New Delhi: A Delhi Motor Accident Claims Tribunal awarded over Rs 44 lakh in compensation to the five children of a couple killed after a car allegedly rammed their motorcycle from behind in Uttar Pradesh in 2021.

Presiding Officer Aparna Swami directed IFFCO Tokio General Insurance Company to pay a total compensation of Rs 44.09 lakh, along with interest at 7.5 per cent per annum from the date of filing the petitions. In an order dated July 30, the tribunal said, “The respondent number 1 was driving the offending vehicle in a rash and negligent manner at the time of the accident. The mechanical inspection report of the offending vehicle also corroborates the version of the petitioners.” The tribunal passed separate awards of Rs 19.86 lakh and Rs 24.23 lakh for the deaths of Brijnandan and his wife Rajkumari, respectively. According to the claim petitions, the couple was travelling on a motorcycle in Bulandshahr district on July 2, 2021, when a WagonR car allegedly hit their vehicle from behind at high speed.

The impact threw them onto the road, and the car subsequently ran over them. Both were declared brought dead at a hospital. The driver, owner and insurer contested the claim. The insurance company argued that the offending vehicle’s registration number did not initially appear in the FIR and investigation records.

Rejecting this contention, the tribunal held that the investigation later traced the vehicle and established its involvement through the mechanical inspection report, registration certificate and insurance policy.