HC asks BMTC to pay Rs 35L as compensation to family of girl who died in 2015 scooter- bus collision
Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court has directed the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) to pay the family of an engineering student who died in a bus accident in 2015 Rs 35,53,400 with 6 per cent annual interest as compensation.
The compensation amount exceeds what was awarded initially by the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal, which directed BMTC to pay the victim’s family Rs 20,46,400.
On November 12, 2015, 20-year-old Mary Sindhu, an Engineering student, was traveling on a scooter as pillion rider when a speeding BMTC bus collided with the two-wheeler near PES College in Konappana Agrahara. While both Mary and Yogesh, who was riding the scooter, sustained injuries in the accident, Mary died at the Sparsh Hospital on November 15 after undergoing four days of treatment.
Mary’s parents Christy Babu and Mary Franchana and her brother CB Denis demanded a compensation of Rs 50 lakh from the BMTC, stating that Mary, who was studying in her seventh semester of Civil Engineering had been earning Rs 30,000 monthly. As BMTC challenged this, putting forth the argument that both parties were responsible for the accident, the Tribunal directed the Corporation to pay a compensation amount of Rs 15,07,000 with 9 per cent interest on November 28, 2016.
The accident victim’s family filed a plea in the High Court, arguing that the scooty was travelling at moderate speed and the bus driver was at fault for the accident. They also highlighted Sindhu's academic potential and that her future earnings were likely to be Rs 50,000-60,000 a month at a multi-national corporation.
The BMTC defended the bus driver in the High Court too, alleging police collusion with the claimants. The transport corporation also questioned in court the validity of the scooter rider's licence.
The division bench of Justice KS Mudagal and Justice Vijayakumar A Patil, who heard the case, noted from the evidence that the driver of the BMTC bus had reached the accident spot at high speed and a major portion of the bus crossed the scooter and its left side near the rear door hit the two-wheeler, resulting in the accident. The eyewitness, Yogesh Kumar, also deposed that the accident was due to the negligence of the bus driver, the judges added.
Also noting that the deceased girl was about to complete her engineering course and taking into consideration her academic excellence, the bench said that it would be justice to reassess the income of the deceased at Rs 22,000 per month.
An appeal filed by BMTC against the Tribunal's award was rejected by the HC.
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K’taka bypolls: Cong accepts Minority dept chief’s resignation amid claims of ‘internal conspiracy’
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Congress president D K Shivakumar on Sunday accepted the resignation of party Minority Department chairman K Abdul Jabbar and dissolved the committees constituted under him.
Jabbar announced his resignation on Saturday, a day after a group of Muslim leaders accused members of their own party of “conspiring” to defeat the official candidate in Davanagere South.
In his letter to the party, Jabbar said minority voters and office-bearers are the backbone of the Congress and deserve better.
Later, speaking to reporters, he expressed shock at the party office being used by some minority community leaders as a platform to attack senior leaders from the same community.
Jabbar, an MLC, was an aspirant for the Congress ticket from the Davanagere South Assembly segment.
“K Abdul Jabbar has tendered his resignation from the post of chairman, KPCC Minority Department. The resignation has been accepted, and he stands relieved of the post with immediate effect. Further, the KPCC Minority Department committee stands dissolved with immediate effect,” Shivakumar said in a statement.
A rift surfaced within the Karnataka Congress on Friday, a day after bypolls to two Assembly constituencies, as a group of Muslim leaders alleged an “internal conspiracy” by some senior party leaders to defeat the official candidate in Davanagere South, where the minority community has a significant presence.
They said the party had named Samarth Mallikarjun as the candidate after considering all factors and taking Muslim leaders into confidence. Despite this, a campaign—allegedly involving some within the party—projected the Congress as having “betrayed” minorities by denying them the ticket.
Chief Whip in the Legislative Council Saleem Ahmed, MLAs Rizwan Arshad and Yasir Ahmed Khan Pathan, MLC Bilkis Bano and other leaders addressed a joint press conference on Friday, alleging an “internal conspiracy”.
Though the leaders did not name anyone, party sources said their remarks were directed at State Housing Minister B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan, Jabbar, and MLC and Political Secretary to the Chief Minister Naseer Ahmed.
Khan, who had openly demanded the Davanagere South ticket for a Muslim candidate, initially stayed away from campaigning in the constituency, citing commitments related to the Kerala polls. However, he later addressed a press meet with Samarth’s father and Minister S S Mallikarjun at the request of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
Jabbar, too, had not actively participated in campaigning, despite hailing from Davanagere.
Meanwhile, MLA Arshad said on Sunday that the party leadership was aware of those who allegedly tried to divide Congress votes and help the BJP. “But, thankfully, none of this has had any impact, and the Congress candidate will win,” he said.
He also alleged that Muslims lost the Davanagere South ticket because some senior minority leaders demanded it exclusively for Jabbar, rather than for any other eligible candidate from the community, despite Jabbar not being acceptable to all.
“Some leaders in the Congress think they are the only voice of the minority community and that there is no one else,” said Arshad, who represents the Shivajinagar constituency in Bengaluru.
Bypolls for Davanagere South and Bagalkot were held on Thursday. The elections were necessitated following the deaths of sitting MLAs Shamanur Shivashankarappa and H Y Meti, respectively. Samarth is the grandson of Shivashankarappa.
Muslim disgruntlement appears to be a concern for the Congress in Davanagere South. With 14 of the 25 candidates in the fray belonging to the community, the party fears a split in votes that could benefit the BJP.
Given its significant presence in the constituency, the Muslim community had strongly demanded the Congress ticket. Some party factions had opposed giving it to the Shamanur family.
Although the Congress persuaded rebel candidate Sadiq Pailwan to withdraw, he remained in the fray as the move came after the deadline for withdrawal of nominations.
