₹ 1.98 crore compensation in Mercedes hit and run, car was driven by minor

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi, July 17, 2024: An insurance company has been directed by the Motor Accident Claim Tribunal (MACT) to pay about ₹ 1.98 crore compensation to the parents of a 32-year-old man who was killed in a hit-and-run involving a minor in 2016.

The Tribunal has directed the insurance company to pay ₹ 1.98 crore - ₹ 1.21 crore as compensation and around ₹ 77.61 lakh as interest - to the parents of Sidharth Sharma within 30 days.

Sidharth Sharma died after being hit by a Mercedes - driven by a minor - in the Civil Lines area of Delhi on April 4, 2016. The fatal crash was recorded by a security camera installed in the area.

The Tribunal also held the minor’s father responsible for failing to stop his minor son from driving, especially a Mercedes car, despite prior warnings.

"Instead of preventing his minor son from driving a Mercedes, he chose to ignore the same, which implies tacit consent on his part. The very fact that at the time of the accident he was at home was all the more reason to stop his son from taking the car from the home for a joy ride," the Tribunal said in its order.

In the CCTV footage, Mr Sharma was seen trying to cross the road while looking both ways. He had just bought takeout from a noodle stand and was heading home.

The 32-year-old, realising that the car was not slowing down, tried to get out of the way but didn’t stand a chance.

After hitting Sidharth Sharma, the Mercedes went over a pavement and came to a stop as its front tyres burst. The teenager abandoned the car and ran away with his friends.

The court granted the insurance company the liberty to recover the compensation amount from the father’s company, on which name’s the vehicle was registered.

According to the detailed accident report filed by the police, the minor was driving the car rashly at a very high speed. After the collision, Sidharth was thrown 20 feet high into the air after the car hit him.