Bikaner court rules panchayat not liable for bikers' deaths in stray animal accident, citing driver negligence.
The incident occurred on July 14, 2020, when Avtar Singh and Gurjant Singh died in an accident on the national highway between Arjansar and Mahajan. A stray animal suddenly appeared in front of their motorcycle, leading to the tragic accident.
Following the incident, the families of the deceased held Gram Panchayat Mahajan and Gram Panchayat Arjansar Station responsible. They argued that it is the panchayat's duty to prevent stray animals from roaming.
The families filed a petition in court demanding a total compensation of sixty lakh rupees from both gram panchayats. Advocate Gopal Singh Solanki represented Gram Panchayat Arjansar Station in the case.
District and Sessions Judge Ashwini Vij delivered the verdict after hearing all parties in the case. The court concluded that the accident was not caused by the negligence of the Gram Panchayat.
The court stated, "The accident occurred due to careless driving of the motorcycle; the incident happened due to high-speed and negligent driving on the highway, and the responsibility to avoid animals lies with the driver themselves."
Based on this reasoning, the court did not hold the Gram Panchayat responsible in this matter and refused to provide any relief to the complainants. This decision sets an important precedent regarding road safety and the responsibilities of local bodies.
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