The Madras High Court Bench here has directed the Inspector of Vadipatti police station to file a status report on a case filed seeking Rs. 15 lakh compensation for the death of a woman in an accident at a former MLA’s stone quarry.
According to petitioner S. Sekar, his wife Avanammal was killed during a quarrying operation at the site of former MLA D. Radhakrishnan. The petitioner said that his wife was at work in their agriculture land, which was adjacent to the quarry site, when the accident occurred on February 24, 2012. Following an explosion, a stone from the former MLA’s site fell on his wife’s head, causing severe injuries and subsequent death, after a month-long-treatment at a private hospital in Madurai, on March 23, 2012, he claimed.
The couple have four children. An FIR was registered with the Vadipatti police on February 28, 2012, according to the petitioner.
If an experienced person had handled the explosives at the time of quarrying, the accident could have been averted, the petitioner contended. Mr. Sekar further alleged that the former MLA indulged in illegal quarrying activities. Mr. Radhakrishnan conducted quarrying operations on government land and did not meet the required safety standards, the petitioner alleged.
Holding the Madurai district administration and the former MLA liable for his wife’s death, he sought a compensation of Rs. 15 lakh. He had spent Rs. 4 lakh for her treatment.
The district administration was responsible for his wife’s death because it failed to check if the required safety standards were in place at the quarrying site, he contended.
Justice K.K. Sasidharan, on Thursday, directed the Inspector of Vadipatti police station to file the status report and adjourned the case to June 10.
