MADIKERI: An insurance company has agreed to pay the family of a man killed in 2017 in a road accident in Kodagu district a compensation of Rs 2.25 crore in two months at the Lok Adalat in Madikeri.
Achal Bopanna (34), a resident of Kodagu, was a captain with Hong Kong’s Anglo-Eastern Ship Management.
In December 2017, a pickup driven by one Aiyappa rammed Achal, who was riding a bike, on the Madikeri-Virajpet road. Achal suffered serious injuries and succumbed at the District Hospital in Madikeri.
Achal’s mother, Anila AG, and his wife, Spoorthy filed separate cases, demanding compensation from the respondents — Aiyappa and the vehicle’s insurance company, Cholamandalam General Insurance Company.
The District Sessions Court in Madikeri began hearing the case in 2018 and the proceedings were finalised at the Lok Adalat this September 9. The bench suggested that the two cases for compensation be combined. Anila and Spoorthy, who were represented by advocates BB Anand and Ratan Thammaiah, demanded Rs 3 crore compensation.
Judge Prashanth G ordered that the Cholamandalam General Insurance Company pay a compensation of Rs 2.25 crore to the family. “It is a rare case. Since Achal earned a monthly salary of up to Rs 4 lakh, the compensation was calculated for the remaining of his service years,” said BD Dayananda, who represented the insurance company in the case. If the insurer fails to pay the compensation in two months, they would have to pay an interest.