28 years after boy dies in stone blasting near school, miner told to pay compensation
The boy was rushed to Bhagwati hospital by the school authorities and then taken to another hospital, where he died two months later in April 1997.
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The court directed that compensation be paid by Chandar Gadhwal, who had carried out the stone blasting. (Source: File/ Representational)Over 28 years after an eight-year-old boy died in a stone-blasting accident near his school, a city civil court has directed the miner to pay Rs 2.4 lakh with an eight per cent interest from 1998.
Chintadevi Arjundas, a resident of Kandivali, had lost her son Ajaykumar, who was at that time studying in Class 2.
On February 19, 1997, she dropped her son off at school in the morning and was supposed to pick him up around 5 pm.
However, around 4 pm, she was informed that a stone blast had been carried out near the school, and a heavy stone hit Ajaykumar on his head.
The boy was rushed to Bhagwati hospital by the school authorities and then taken to another hospital, where he died two months later in April 1997.
Chintadevi had approached the court in 1998 seeking compensation of Rs 10 lakh from the miner responsible for the stone blast and the school, stating that her son had died due to negligence, and that he was a class topper and a bright student with a promising future.
The school had said that there was no negligence on its part as the blasting was carried out without informing the nearby plot holders, including the school.
The authorities had also said that they rushed Ajaykumar to the hospital and filed an FIR against the miner.
The court directed that compensation be paid by Chandar Gadhwal, who had carried out the stone blasting. It did not find negligence on part of the school, as Gadhwal had not informed the school about the stone blasting.
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