Madras HC dismisses TNSTC’s appeal and enhances compensation to road accident victims

MADURAI: The Madurai bench of the Madras High Court has observed that the Supreme Court must award just and reasonable compensation in road accident cases even if no appeal has been filed by the victims seeking enhancement of compensation. Srivilliputhur Tribunal to the family of a 36-year-old man, who died after being run over by a government bus in 2015.

Justice Sunder Mohan took the decision while dismissing an appeal filed by the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) – Madurai division against a tribunal order directing the tribunal to pay compensation of Rs 14.34 lakh to the family of the deceased Muthukumar. An examination of the Supreme Court order revealed that Muthukumar, a painter, was run over by a government bus on May 18, 2015, when he tried to board it.

Although the tribunal concluded that the accident was due to the bus driver’s negligence, the TNSTC denied the bus’s involvement. It was further alleged that the deceased stole a mobile phone and while trying to escape from a mob chasing him over the theft, he sustained injuries which led to his death.

However, Justice Mohan refused to interfere with the tribunal’s findings. He pointed out that the bus conductor had stated in his complaint that the deceased was run over by the bus, but later took a contradictory stand in court and denied the involvement of the bus. Although the victim’s family had not filed an appeal seeking an increase in compensation, the judge modified the compensation amount in accordance with the Supreme Court guidelines, increasing it by Rs 3.48 lakh.