DTC bus killed army man in 2016, UP family now gets Rs 1.17 cr compensation

New Delhi: In a landmark judgement, a Motor Accident Claims Tribunal in Delhi has awarded a whopping Rs 1.17 crore compensation to the family of an army man, who was killed three years ago when a DTC bus ran over him at a zebra crossing in Rafi Marg.

The Delhi Transport Corporation bus had jumped the red light at the crossing, went on to the wrong lane and ran over Ram Kumar Yadav, a rifleman and resident of Uttar Pradesh. The pedestrian signal was green when the soldier was crossing the road.

The Presiding Officer of MACT, MK Nagpal awarded the compensation to Yadav's mother, wife and two children. Yadav was with the Indian Army, posted at the Integrated Headquarters of the Ministry of Defence in Sena Bhawan, here in the Capital city. The tribunal ruled that Yadav was killed due to the rash driving and negligence of the DTC bus driver.

"It stands proved that the above accident resulting into death of deceased (Yadav) was caused due to rash and negligent act of R 1 (driver of DTC bus) in driving the above offending vehicle. This issue is accordingly decided in favour of the petitioners and against the respondents," the tribunal ruled.

The incident took place on a December afternoon at around 3:20 pm at a red light on Rafi Marg, in front of Udhyog Bhawan bus stand. The green Delhi government bus killed Yadav, who was just 34 years old at the time as the bus driver skipped the signal and tried to make the risky manoeuvre.

However, a cop from the Delhi Police saw the offending bus at the time and was an eyewitness to prove the petitioner's case before the MACT. Assistant Sub Inspector Narender Pal Singh of the Delhi Traffic Police stated on record that the bus driver was not just trying to catch the signal, but was in fact, had overtaken other vehicles before hitting Yadav, indicating his negligent behaviour.