In a significant relief to the family of sanitary worker Shivachand Yadav, who was killed after being hit by an SUV on July 11, 2025, the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (MACT) in Azamgarh has directed an insurance company to pay a compensation of Rs 77.5 lakh to his widow.
MACT judge Mukesh Kumar Singh pronounced the award based on a conciliation agreement reached during the Lok Adalat organised by the District Legal Services Authority on Saturday, said Vijay Bahadur Singh, counsel for Yadav’s widow, Suman.
The counsel said that Yadav (39), a resident of Bishunpur Rajmandir under the Sidhari police station area, was returning home in an auto-rickshaw when the accident occurred. After getting down near Munda village, he was allegedly hit by a speeding SUV, leading to his death on the spot.
Following the incident, Yadav’s widow, Suman Yadav, filed a claim petition in the MACT court seeking compensation of Rs 1.25 crore. Singh said the offending SUV was insured with Pickup Shriram General Insurance Company.
Efforts for an out-of-court settlement were initiated by the District Legal Services Authority, following which negotiations took place between the insurance company and the victim’s family. With the intervention of the insurance company's branch manager, Mukesh Sharma, both sides eventually reached a mutual settlement. Subsequently, the court directed the insurance company to pay the agreed compensation amount to Yadav’s widow.
The compensation amount of Rs 77.5 lakh includes loss of dependency, funeral expenses, and other statutory benefits. The tribunal also directed the insurance company to deposit the amount within 30 days, failing which interest at the rate of 9 percent per annum would be applicable. The widow expressed relief after the verdict, stating that the compensation would help secure the future of her two children. The case highlights the importance of Lok Adalats in expediting dispute resolution and providing timely justice to accident victims' families.
