Thane, March 13 The Motor Accident Claims Tribunal in Thane, Maharashtra, has awarded a combined compensation of Rs 45.48 lakh to the families of two drivers who died in a road accident involving a tanker and a truck in 2010.
In two separate judgments delivered on March 5, copies of which were made available on Thursday, the tribunal directed the owner of the offending truck and the insurer to pay the compensation amounts jointly and severally with 9 per cent interest per annum from the date of the petitions.
The accident took place on April 18, 2010, near Shahapur in Thane district. The victims, Rameshkumar Amarpal Singh (42) and Firoz Siddik Ahamad Shaikh (27), were transporting a tanker from Chembur in Mumbai to Jhansi in Uttar Pradesh.
According to the petitions, the driver of a truck moving ahead of the tanker abruptly applied its brakes without any warning. The trailing tanker crashed into the truck, causing its hazardous cargo to burst into flames, leading to the death of Singh and Shaikh.
The insurance company alleged negligence on the part of the tanker driver and raised concerns about the 10-year delay in filing the petitions (registered in 2020).
However, the tribunal dismissed these claims, stating that the truck driver was negligent.
After assessing the notional income for both deceased individuals, the tribunal awarded a compensation of Rs 21.43 lakh to the widow and four children of Singh, and Rs 24.05 lakh to Shaikh's widow and mother.
Tribunal Member RV Mohite directed the insurance company to deposit the amounts within one month.