Woman Gets Rs 5 Lakh Compensation 12 Years After Her Son's Electrocution

A Delhi court awarded Rs 5 lakh as compensation to the mother of a 15-year-old boy who was electrocuted more than 12 years ago, saying there was negligence on part of BSES Yamuna Power Ltd in maintaining electric wires.

The court was hearing a suit for recovery of Rs 5 lakh by way of compensation and damages for the death by electrocution under the Fatal Accident Act against defendants -- BSES Yamuna and Reliance General Insurance Company.

According to the plaintiff, Maya Devi, her son died after coming in contact with a snapped live electricity wire at Jawahar Nagar on Main Loni Road on September 11, 2010.

"...Suit of the plaintiff is hereby decreed for a sum of Rs 5 lakh to be recovered from the defendants, with the cost of the suit," Additional District Judge Kishor Kumar said in an order passed on January 21.

The court noted that according to the postmortem report, the cause of death was shock due to electrocution.

"There are only bald allegations and submissions of defendant no. 1 (BSES Yamuna Power Ltd) that there was no electricity supply at the place of incident," the court said.

It further said defendant no. 2 (Reliance General Insurance Company) was liable to compensate Devi under the insurance policy taken by BSES Yamuna.

"The facts and circumstances of the case do clearly indicate and prove themselves that there was negligence on the part of defendant no. 1 that a child died due to electrocution when he came in contact with live electricity wire which was supposed to be maintained by the company," the court said.

It said Devi had the requisite reasons and the cause of action to file the present suit against BSES Yamuna and the defendants were unable to "discredit or demolish" her case.

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