Bengaluru: A Goa holiday for a family of three from Rayasandra, south Bengaluru, and their relative turned into a disaster as they met with an accident on NH-48, near Vijapura village in Chitradurga taluk. The incident left three dead and one injured. Over two years on, their kin have finally received relief from the motor accident claims tribunal (MACT), which has awarded them over Rs 58 lakh in compensation.On the morning of June 12, 2023, the family of three — tuition teacher Tabassum Banu Z, 29, her husband Shuaib Ahmed, 31, and their three-month-old daughter Aayath Fathima — along with Zakir Ahmed, 55, an auto driver, were on their way back home in a Toyota Fortuner, driven by Alla Baksh. Around 6.35am, a container truck ahead of the SUV suddenly changed lanes without signalling. The Fortuner collided with the rear-right portion of the truck and overturned, killing Tabassum, baby Aayath, and Zakir. Shuaib survived with grievous injuries.Unable to cope after the accident, Shuaib and his parents — Ali Ahmed, 63, and Shabana Banu, 48 — filed a petition seeking compensation for the deaths of Tabassum and baby Aayath. The couple stated they had lost their daughter-in-law during old age and had been fully dependent on her income while battling health issues. The family claimed to have spent Rs 1.8 lakh on the funeral and other expenses. Shuaib, who worked as an ICICI Bank channel partner before the accident, earning Rs 35,000 a month, also filed a petition seeking compensation for his injuries. He had suffered a concussive head injury, fractures to his skull, and post-traumatic soft-tissue injuries, resulting in permanent hardship, loss of income, and mental anguish. A separate petition was filed by Zakir Ahmed’s children — Tabrez Ahmed, 28, and Naziya Banu, 23 — stating that Zakir was the sole earning member of their family, with a monthly income of around Rs 25,000. They said Naziya Banu remained unmarried and dependent, and the family was facing severe financial and emotional distress. However, New India Assurance Company Ltd, the insurer of the container truck, denied any negligence on the part of its driver and blamed the driver of the Toyota Fortuner for the accident. SBI General Insurance Company Ltd, insurer of the Fortuner, questioned the validity of the driver’s licence and disputed liability. On Nov 24, 2025, MACT-3, presided over by BS Honnaswamy, awarded Rs 58.2 lakh compensation to the petitioners with 6% interest, observing that lane discipline and proper signalling were mandatory safety requirements. Of the amount, Rs 32.1 lakh — for the death of Tabassum — is payable to Shuaib and his parents, covering loss of dependency, love, and affection; Rs 5 lakh is for the death of the infant and payable to Shuaib; Rs 16.6 lakh is for the death of Zakir, payable to his children; and Rs 4.5 lakh is for Shuaib to cover medical expenses, loss of income, and mental anguish.After examining all the evidence, the tribunal observed that the accident occurred due to rash and negligent driving by both drivers. “Accidents occur not only because of rash driving but also the failure to follow lane discipline and traffic rules. Both these factors contributed to the tragic incident,” the tribunal said.It highlighted that insurance companies cannot shirk responsibility when their insured vehicles are involved in fatal accidents, reaffirming the rights of accident victims’ families to timely compensation. It also emphasised that adherence to traffic rules, lane discipline, and signalling is critical, and negligence in these areas can have irreversible consequences. GFXGoa trip turns tragic for Bengaluru family* Family of three and a relative from Bengaluru met with an accident on NH-48 near Chitradurga; three killed, one injured.* Toyota Fortuner collided with a container truck that abruptly changed lanes; victims included a mother, infant, and auto driver.* Shuaib Ahmed suffered severe head and skull injuries, lost income, and faced permanent hardship post-accident.* MACT awards over Rs 58 lakh compensation to bereaved family for deaths and injuries, covering funeral and medical expenses.
