UP Government pulled up for tragedy caused by VIP convoy

The Commission has directed the Uttar Pradesh Government to pay an interim compensation of Rs. 2.00 lakh to the parents of a schoolgirl who was crushed to death in Gorakhpur by a vehicle in the convoy of a former Prime Minister. The Commission was also critical of the local administration for their casual and apathetic attitude towards the tragedy. It felt that this was yet another case of VIP movement being a hazard to the pedestrian.

The Commission had taken cognizance of a complaint received from the deceased’s father, stating that his daughter Vandana Singh a student of class IX, had been crushed by a vehicle deployed for the ex-Prime Minister’s security, while she was returning from school on 7 November 1997. The girl had succumbed to injuries in the hospital. Though a case had been registered, it had not been taken seriously, as the vehicle concerned was a police vehicle.

Upon the Commission’s notice to the Senior Superintendent of Police, Gorakhpur, a report was sent stating that no action could be taken since it was not possible to identify the vehicle involved as a large number of police vehicles were on duty on that particular day.

The Commission observed that though the life of a young girl had been lost due to negligence of some driver on government duty, no significance had been attached to the tragedy and the local administration had been totally insensitive. The Commission felt that because it was a government vehicle driven by a Government employee, which had caused the tragedy, it gave rise to the government’s vicarious liability as well. Hence, even if it had not been possible to identify the delinquent driver, the government’s liability to pay compensation remained.