The Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (MACT) in Maharashtra’s Thane district has awarded ₹5 lakh as compensation to the family of a woman who died in a motorcycle accident more than two decades ago. The Tribunal held the owner of the truck involved in the crash and the legal heir of the motorcycle owner jointly liable to pay the amount along with interest.
The order was passed by MACT Judge K. P. Shrikhande on March 5, directing the insurance company and the owners of the truck and motorcycle to pay the compensation with 9 percent annual interest from March 2024. The tribunal noted that the petitioners had failed to pursue the case with “due diligence,” which resulted in substantial delays in the proceedings. A copy of the order became available on Monday.
The case relates to an accident that occurred on September 18, 2003, on the Mumbai–Ahmedabad highway at Kashimira in Thane district. The victim, Serena M. Pereira, aged 24, was travelling as a pillion rider on a motorcycle when the vehicle collided with a speeding truck.
According to the tribunal’s findings, the collision caused Pereira to fall from the motorcycle and come under the wheels of the heavy vehicle. She died at the spot. At the time of her death, Pereira worked as a tutor and earned approximately ₹3,300 per month.
The compensation claim was filed by the victim’s mother and sister, though the petition was formally registered in 2020, several years after the accident.
The petitioners alleged that the motorcycle was “sandwiched” between a Thane Municipal Transport (TMT) bus and the truck. They claimed the bus had braked abruptly, leading to the collision.
However, the tribunal rejected the allegations against the municipal transport authority. Judge Shrikhande observed that the petitioners’ claim that the bus had suddenly braked appeared to be “the imagination of the petitioner,” noting that this version was inconsistent with the police records.
Based on the available evidence, the tribunal held the truck owner and the legal heir of the motorcycle owner jointly responsible for the accident. The claim against the Thane Municipal Transport (TMT) was dismissed.
The tribunal ultimately directed the liable parties and the insurer to pay ₹5 lakh in compensation with 9 percent interest, effective from March 2024.
