MACT awards Rs 16 lakh compensation to kin of man killed in 2015 accident

Thane, Aug 29 (PTI) The Thane Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (MACT) has awarded a compensation of Rs 16.33 lakh to the kin of a 25-year-old man who died in a road accident nine years ago.

In her order, MACT member S N Shah directed the two respondents, owner of a luxury bus and the insurer, to "jointly and severally" make the payment to the claimants at 8 percent interest from the date of filing of the petition within a month.

The copy of the August 17 order was made available on Thursday.

Ankush Barku Tambikar was riding his motorbike from Savatsada to Chilpun on the Mumbai-Goa highway on August 13, 2015, when a luxury bus collided with him, killing him on the spot.

The compensation money will be paid to his 68-year-old mother Sulochana Barku Tambitkar and wife Akshara Tambitkar, both residents of Chiplun in Maharashtra's Ratnagiri district, the tribunal said.

The respondents were owners of the luxury bus Sai Shruti Travels and Reliance General Insurance Company Ltd.

The matter was decided ex-parte against the owner of the bus as the travel firm's representative did not appear, while advocate K V Poojari appeared for the insurance company and contested the claim on various grounds.

Appearing for the petitioner, advocate S S Kadam argued that the deceased was young, in robust health, and worked at a company at Khed, drawing a salary of Rs 8,139 per month. He demanded Rs 20 lakh towards compensation.

The tribunal member noted that being legal representative of the deceased, his wife was also entitled to compensation. The compensation amount includes Rs 10,87,932 towards "loss of future dependency", Rs 4,35,173 towards income from future prospects, loss of estate and funeral expenses of Rs 15,000 each, and "filial consortium and consortium" of Rs 40,000 each.

The insurance company is entitled to recover the amount from the bus owner, the order said. PTI COR MVG KRK