CHUNI LAL Vs. STATE

JUDGEMENT

(1.) PETITIONERS are the husband and minor daughters of mrs. Kailasho Devi who had been electrocuted in the noon of november 14, 2000 in the compound of her house situated at village Nagulta Tehsil Chenani of District Udhampur when a live electric wire laid by respondent Nos. 1 and 2 over the house of her compound, for the carriage of electricity, had fallen resulting in her instantaneous death because of the burn injuries she received from the live electric wire. She is stated to be a house wife, doing tailoring work as well, from where she would earn Rs. 1000/- per month.

(2.) PETITIONERS have filed this petition seeking an amount of Rs. 2 lac as compensation for her electrocution, from the respondents.

(3.) DENYING their liability to compensate the petitioners, and accusing petitioner No. 1 of using the electricity illegally by siphoning it off from the transmission line and thereby weakening the strength of the transmission line, the State respondents say that the petitioners are not entitled to any compensation, as the transmission line had snapped because of its illegal use by petitioner No. 1.