Thane, Apr 27 The Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (MACT) in Maharashtra's Thane district has awarded a total compensation of Rs 63.76 lakh to the kin of a couple and their 11-year-old son killed in a collision between a motorcycle and a state transport bus in 2020.
MACT member R V Mohite granted the compensation to the deceased couple's two other children, who were seriously injured in the crash, and their grandmother, holding the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) liable for the "rash and negligent" driving of the bus driver.
The tribunal passed the order on April 17 on five separate petitions, and a copy was made available on Sunday.
The accident occurred on November 12, 2020, when the victim, Sakharam Maya Mukane (34), was travelling on a motorcycle with his wife Indra (29) and their three sons. Near Shahapur, a speeding ST bus collided with their motorcycle, killing the couple on the spot and severely injuring their three sons, one of whom died while undergoing treatment at a hospital the next day.
The other two sons, Navnath and Eknath, then aged eight and five, survived with grievous injuries.
The tribunal rejected the MSRTC's contention that the motorcycle rider was negligent for carrying five persons and held that the accident had occurred due to the bus driver's rash and negligent driving.
It further noted that the impact of the dash was so forceful that the motorcycle got dragged some distance, indicating the bus was being driven at a high speed.
The tribunal awarded a total claim of Rs 63.76 lakh to the kin of the deceased, directing the MSRTC to pay the total amount with 9 per cent interest per annum from the date of filing of the five petitions.
