Delhi HC awards Rs 27 lakh to electrocuted teenager’s parents

The Delhi High Court on Thursday asked the municipal corporation authorities to pay over Rs 27 lakh as compensation to the parents of a 14-year-old boy electrocuted in a park here in 2014.

A bench of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice V. Kameswar Rao ordered the East Delhi Municipal Corporation and the electricity distribution company concerned to pay Rs 27,38,607 along with interest of nine per cent per annum, observing that the accident had occurred due to the “negligence in the maintenance of electrical installations” in the park.

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“We have no hesitation in holding that in the facts and circumstances of the case, both the respondents (MC and BSES) have failed to discharge their public duty in the manner expected of them in law… we find that the respondents have failed in their duty which resulted in the accident. There is no reason as to why compensation should be denied to the victims…,” the court said.

The court was hearing a plea by Rajeev Singhal for compensation due to the death of his son Akshat, who died of electric shock on July 5, 2014, at Sanjay Park in New Govind Puri.