One year imprisonment awarded to driver

Excelsior Correspondent
UDHAMPUR, Dec 1: Sub-Judge Ramnagar today awarded one year imprisonment and fine of Rs 5000 to driver of a vehicle whose negligence led to accident at Ghordi in 2005 in which 35 persons had lost their lives.
According to the police case, on February 6, 2005 a passenger bus bearing registration number JKO2K-3089, which was being driven rashly, negligently and carelessly by one Subash Chander, son of Shankar Dass of Johnu Ramnagar, met with accident near Basakhi Dabbar in Ghordhi Ramnagar.
In the accident, 35 persons lost their lives while as 31 others sustained critical injuries. Accordingly, a case under Section 279/337/304 RPC was registered against the driver and after completion of investigation challan was presented in court. Out of 68 witnesses cited in the challan, 48 were examined by prosecution during the trial.
Awarding sentence to the driver, Sub Judge Sandeep Kour observed, “from the material available on record and after going through entire prosecution evidence it is crystal clear that the 35 passengers lost their precious lives and 31 received injuries due to negligence and carelessness on part of accused as such offences under Section 279, 337,338 and 304-A RPC are proved against the accused”.
With these observations, the Court awarded one year rigorous imprisonment and fine of Rs 2000 for offence under Section 304-A RPC. In default of the payment of fine, the convict will undergo simple imprisonment of one month. For the offence under Section 338 RPC, the accused was awarded simple imprisonment for a period of six months and fine of Rs 1,000. In default of the   payment, he would undego simple imprisonment of one month and in case of offence under Section 337 RPC the accused would undergo simple imprisonment of three months. However, all the sentences will run concurrently.
Prosecution Officer Raj Kumar appeared for the State while as Advocate Mohan Lal Gupta for the accused.