Punjab Roadways directed to pay Rs 64-lakh relief to cop's kin

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 22

The Motor Accident Claims Tribunal, Chandigarh, has directed the Punjab Roadways to pay a compensation of Rs 64,79,200 to the wife, children and mother of Gurvinder Singh, Head Constable of the Punjab Police, who died in a road accident five years ago.

The cop’s wife and children have filed a claim petition under Section 166 of the Motor Vehicle Act seeking compensation on account of the death of Gurvinder Singh, a resident of Ludhiana.

The cop’s wife, Hardeep Kaur, in the petition filed through advocate Sunil Kumar Dixit, said on September 10, 2017, Gurvinder boarded a Punjab Roadways bus from the Samrala chowk, Ludhiana, for Chandigarh. When the bus reached near the Zira Mandi chowk, the driver stopped the vehicle as the cop was to alight from the bus. When he was in the process of alighting from the bus, the driver suddenly drove it at a high speed. As a result, the cop fell on the road and suffered serious injuries. The driver and conductor of the bus put him on the roadside and fled the spot. Two boys took the victim to a hospital in a car where doctors declared him dead on arrival.

Hardeep alleged that the accident took place solely due to rash and negligent driving of the bus driver. The deceased was 46 years of age at the time of the accident. He was a Head Constable in the Punjab Police and was getting a salary of Rs 50,000 per month. They were totally dependent upon his earnings as he was the sole breadwinner of the family.

On notice, the bus driver appeared before the court and denied all charges. He denied that any such accident took place with the bus. He said there was no stoppage at the place of the accident and no one identified or noted down the registration number of the bus.

After hearing the arguments, the Tribunal directed all respondents - Punjab Roadways and Depot Manager, Punjab Roadways, Jagraon, to pay Rs 64,79,200 to the claimants along with interest @ 9% per annum from the date of institution of the claim petition till the realisation of the amount.

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