By TCN News,
Kochi: The Kerala High Court yesterday ordered the Air India to pay compensation of Rs 75 lakh each to the relatives of those killed in the Mangalore airplane crash of 2010. The HC also ordered that the amount should be paid within a month.
The order was made in the plea submitted by the father of Muhammed Rafi, who was killed in the accident. Justice PR Ramachandra Menon ordered that the amount should be handed over to the victims’ families immediately.
A total of 158 people, including 52 Malayalis, died when the Air India Express flight from Dubai crashed while landing in the Bajpe Airport in Mangalore on May 22, 2010. The investigation of the Directorate of Civil Aviation had reportedly found that the accident took place while the pilot tried to save the flight from the faults in landing. So, the petitioners argued that the company was responsible for the accident.
The Air India had announced to pay compensation of Rs 35 lakhs for the relatives of victims. But the families got only Rs 15 lakh including Rs 10 lakh from Air India, Rs 3 lakh from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund and Rs 2 lakh from the Prime Minister. The company that the Air India appointed to deal with the compensation reportedly asked the relatives of the victims to come to Mangalore to hold talks and bargain. The company then took a stand that compensation would be paid only according to the salary of the victims in the Gulf, according to reports. And it settled compensation deals with around 50 families paying Rs 10 to 22 lakhs.
It was in such circumstance that the father of Muhammed Rafi filed a petition in the court arguing that compensation should be paid as per the Montreal Convention. The court stated in the case that the company had no right to make distinctions based on the class of the people. It also ordered the company to pay Rs 75 lakhs for the victims’ families immediately.