Court Orders ₹1.15 Crore Compensation for 9-Year-Old Drishana in Kozhikode Accident
Kozhikode: A court has ordered a compensation of ₹1.15 crore for Drishana, a nine-year-old girl who has been in a coma for 21 months after being seriously injured in a road accident in Vatakara. The Vatakara Motor Accidents Claims Tribunal (MACT) Adalat settled the case, issuing this crucial order to the insurance company.
The intervention of the High Court and the Legal Services Authority proved pivotal in reaching this resolution. Drishana is the daughter of Sudheer and Smitha from Vadakkan Kovil, Mele Chovva, Kannur.
The tragic incident occurred in February 2024 when Drishana and her grandmother, Baby, were struck by a speeding car at Chorode, Vatakara. The vehicle then fled the scene without stopping. The accident resulted in the death of her grandmother, while Drishana was left in a coma. Drishana’s parents, who are financially disadvantaged, faced severe difficulties in securing funds for their child’s ongoing medical treatment.
Despite the charge sheet being filed, the family had not received the accident insurance amount for several months. It was at this critical juncture that the High Court and the Legal Services Authority stepped in. The car involved in the hit-and-run had initially escaped, and it took approximately ten months for the police to identify and apprehend the accused, Shejeel, a native of Purameri. He had reportedly fled abroad and was subsequently brought back to the country and arrested by the police.
Following extensive media coverage, the High Court took suo motu action, prompting the police to form a special investigation team to expedite the inquiry. After a series of continuous legal proceedings, the Vatakara MACT Court has now concluded the case by awarding the significant compensation amount.