Engineering student’s death: HC upholds compensation to parents

BENGALURU: After nearly seven years, the parents of T K Rakesh, an engineering student who died at an young age in a road accident, will receive Rs 4,31,167 with six per cent interest as compensation.
This was after the high court upheld the compensation awarded by a Bengaluru city small causes court I on December 4,2013.
However, there is some consolation for the insurer, Reliance General Insurance Company, as it has to pay Rs 7,500 less.
The high court has reduced the compensation under “loss of estate’ to Rs 2,500 as against the Rs 10,000 awarded by the lower court.
Justice KN Somashekar has observed that Rs 10,000 compensation is on the higher side and exceeded the scope and object of the section 163 A attached to the schedule of Motor Vehicles Act, 1988.
Rakesh, who was aged 19 years, was studying in 3rd semester in BE course in a city engineering college. On November 14,2012, at about 7.3 pm, when he was proceeding on his motorcycle on Sumanahalli Ring Road, he turned towards the service road, when his bike hit a Tamil Nadu registration lorry which was parked there.
Rakesh sustained grievous injuries and later died at the Lakshmi multi-specialty hospital where he was taken for treatment.
His parents Kempaiah and B K Sujatha, residents of Laggere, then moved the Small Causes court claiming that they have lost their future.