The Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (MACT) in Thane has ordered a compensation of ₹23.75 lakh to the family of a 33-year-old delivery executive who died after being hit by a truck in 2021.
MACT member R.V. Mohite, in the order passed on Monday, held the truck driver solely responsible for the fatal accident, observing that he had the “last opportunity” to avoid the collision but failed to do so. The tribunal noted that the truck’s rear wheels had “rolled over the waist and thigh of the deceased,” indicating rash driving, negligence, and excessive speed.
The victim, Hanif Shahid Qureshi, was riding his motorcycle towards Bhiwandi for a delivery on March 21, 2021, when the truck rammed into his vehicle from behind near Kharegaon in Kalwa, on the Mumbai–Nashik highway. He sustained grievous injuries and succumbed to them the next day at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Hospital, Kalwa.
His wife and minor daughter filed for compensation, while the truck owner remained absent during the proceedings. The insurance company argued contributory negligence on the part of Qureshi, but the tribunal rejected the claim, noting that police found no fault with the victim, who also possessed a valid driving licence at the time of the accident.
In contrast, the tribunal found that the truck driver was unlicensed, amounting to a breach of the insurance policy terms by the truck’s owner. Consequently, the insurer has been directed to pay the compensation first and then recover it from the vehicle owner.
The tribunal assessed Qureshi’s notional monthly income at ₹12,000 and awarded ₹23,75,400 with 9% annual interest from the date of filing until payment. As per the distribution ordered:
- ₹11,75,400 will go to the widow,
- ₹9 lakh to the daughter, and
- ₹3 lakh to the father.
Portions of the widow’s and the minor daughter’s shares will be placed in fixed deposits to ensure long-term financial security.
